The Managing Director of the Karnal sugar mill, Varsha Khangwal, has suspended an worker following a four-day shutdown of the mill due to a technical issue with the boiler. Jagdish Kumar, responsible for the boiler’s maintenance, was suspended for negligence after the breakdown disrupted the mill’s operations shortly after the crushing season began, reported The Tribune.
The mill had been idle for four days after the boiler malfunctioned on the night of December 8, just two days after the crushing season began on December 6. The delay caused a space crunch on the mill’s premises, as farmers arrived with their sugarcane for processing.
Khangwal acknowledged the frustration of the sugarcane growers who had been waiting for the mill to resume operations and expressed regret over the situation, which led to protests from the farmers. She also admitted possible negligence on the part of the supervisory staff and said an inquiry was underway.
The boiler’s failure was caused by insufficient water supply, which led to overheating. The system was shut down as a precaution to prevent a potential explosion, which could have posed a significant safety risk. A total of 44 tubes in the boiler were replaced during the repair process.
