Taking serious note of the rapidly spreading COVID-19 cases in Jindal’s JSW Steel plant at Toranagal in Ballari district, Forest Minister and Ballari in-charge B.S. Anand Singh made common cause with those demanding a complete closure of the plant to contain the virus.
In a video conference he held in Ballari with Additional Chief Secretary Jawaid Akhtar and Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Mr. Singh said that of the 509 COVID-19 cases reported from the district, 296 were from JSW Steel Plant and told the officers to completely shut down the plant.
“The spread of COVID-19 is 15.17 % in Jindal as compared to just 2.40 % outside it in the district. It is alarming and a cause of concern. People are criticising me that I have a soft corner for Jindal. I am answerable to people. You need to completely shut down the plant till the spread of the infection is checked,” he told the officers.
In his response, Mr. Akhtar cited the Standard Operating Procedures in place and the guidelines that the Union and State governments had enforced from time to time.
“JSW Steel can run the plant by strictly adhering to the guidelines issued by Union and State governments. It can run the plant with all precautionary measures to contain the spread of pandemic,” Mr. Akhtar said.
Mr. Akhtar also directed the JSW Steel authorities to conduct a comprehensive health survey of its entire workforce.
“JSW Steel should immediately conduct a health survey covering all employees at the Toranagal plant and also the township and make a list of employees who are suffering from respiratory illness, influenza-like illness and those who are aged above 60. The Ballari district administration has already declared the plant and the township as a containment zone and restricted the movement of employees to and from the plant and township. At present, around 9,000 employees are working. Jindal authorities need to check their health condition,” Mr. Akhtar said.
JSW authorities who also participated in the meeting elaborated on the stringent containment measures put in place in the factory and the township. As per information provided by Ballari Deputy Commissioner S.S. Nakul, 1,244 employees have been tested and 296 of them are COVID-19 positive making the JSW Steel plant and Township the biggest COVID-19 cluster in the State. As many as 86 people among them have so far recovered and discharged from hospital.
Later, in his briefing to media representatives, Mr. Singh repeatedly clarified that he never had a soft corner for JSW Steel in connection with COVID-19.
He persisted that he would not hesitate to make all efforts to get the entire plant completely shut down till the retreat of the pandemic.