Chhattisgarh Reports 196 Industrial Accident Deaths in 17 Months Amid Assembly Row

A total of 196 workers have died in industrial accidents across Chhattisgarh over the past 17 months, prompting a heated debate in the State Assembly over workplace safety and enforcement of industrial regulations.

Replying to a call attention motion on Thursday, Commerce, Industry and Labour Minister Lakhan Lal Dewangan informed the House that 122 workers died in factory accidents during 2025 , while 74 more fatalities were recorded up to May 2026 . He rejected allegations by BJP legislators that lax enforcement of safety norms was responsible for the deaths.

The issue was raised by BJP MLAs Ajay Chandrakar, Dharamlal Kaushik and Dharmjeet Singh , who alleged that inadequate inspections and poor implementation of safety standards had led to repeated industrial mishaps, including boiler explosions, gas leaks, lift failures and structural collapses. They cited the April 14 boiler explosion at Vedanta's power plant in Sakti district , which killed 25 workers , along with accidents in Raigarh and Raipur, and claimed that more than 300 workers had died in industrial accidents in recent years.

Dewangan rejected the allegations, stating that the Labour Department has been strengthening industrial safety under the Factories Act through inspections, audits and legal action. He said a technical probe into the Vedanta accident found the explosion was caused by "puffing" inside the boiler furnace . Operations of Boiler No. 1 were suspended and a criminal case was filed against the management.

The minister said the department conducted 964 factory inspections in 2025 , leading to 299 criminal cases and ₹4.60 crore in penalties . Up to June 2026 , officials carried out 484 inspections , filed 134 criminal cases , and secured ₹1.77 crore in fines .

He added that hazardous factories undergo mandatory safety audits, factory inspectors investigate accidents, and mock drills and worker safety training are regularly conducted. Dewangan also denied claims that investigations were outsourced or that workers were dissatisfied with the government's enforcement of industrial safety norms.