Notice Issued to Real Ispat and Energy Plant for Violation of Rules; Reply to Be Submitted Within One Week

Joint Inquiry Report Finds Serious Violations of Safety Standards and SOPs

Raipur, January 2026 : Based on the findings of a joint inquiry report constituted on the instructions of Collector Deepak Soni, a notice has been issued to the management of M/s Real Ispat and Energy Private Limited, located in village Bakulahi under Bhatapara tehsil, in connection with the severe industrial accident that occurred at the factory premises on January 22, 2026. The factory management has been directed to submit its reply within one week.

According to the order issued by the Assistant Director, Industrial Health and Safety, serious violations were found during the investigation of the accident with respect to compliance with the provisions of the Factories Act, 1948 and the Chhattisgarh Factories Rules, 1962.

The inquiry revealed that the factory management continued operations without shutting down Kiln No. 01 and made workers and factory staff perform duties under hazardous conditions, thereby endangering their lives. Adequate safety measures and safe work practices were not adopted at the workplace. During the process of dumping accumulated hot ash from the dust settling chamber of Kiln No. 01 into the wet scraper, proper work permits were not issued. Newly recruited workers were deployed in hazardous areas such as the dust settling chamber without valid work permits, clearly indicating negligence on the part of the factory management.

It was also found that the factory management had not obtained permission for commercial production from the District Trade and Industry Centre, which is against the prevailing industrial policy. Additionally, under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the management failed to provide statutory registers related to wages and other facilities for workers.

Under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, a licence is mandatory when engaging 20 or more contract workers. Despite engaging around 100 workers through two contractors, the factory management had not obtained the required licence. Furthermore, interstate migrant workers were employed without obtaining the mandatory licence under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979, constituting a violation of the said rules.

Compensation to Deceased and Injured Workers

The factory management has paid compensation of ₹20 lakh each to the families of the five deceased workers and ₹5 lakh each to the families of the six injured workers. The injured workers are currently undergoing treatment in Bilaspur.

It is noteworthy that on January 22, 2026, at around 9:40 am, a sudden explosion and shower of hot ash occurred during work on the second floor of the dust settling chamber of Kiln No. 01 at the factory. As a result, six workers died on the spot, while five others sustained serious injuries. Following the preliminary investigation, operations and all maintenance work of Kiln No. 01 have been prohibited under Section 40(2) of the Factories Act, 1948.