Shankar Raj
Bengaluru: The JSW steel plant that is part of the Jindal group led by Sajjan Jindal may be emerging as a large cluster for COVID-19 cases in Karnataka’s Ballari district with 103 cases attributed to the large plant.
Those who tested positive include workers, their family members and others who came in contact with the workers of the factory, including residents of four townships of Jindal. This has created panic among the residents of the mining town of Ballari.
It all started when a 35-year-old worker in one of the units of JSW's plant, who had travelled to Tamil Nadu, returned to Ballari at the end of May.
All the workers who tested positive for the virus have been shifted to the designated Covid hospital in the district. Around 420 workers considered the primary and secondary contacts of the patients who tested positive have also been quarantined.
Currently there are over 30,000 workers at the JSW plant. State Environment and Forest Minister Anand Singh said work inside the factory will be stopped.
More than 10,000 workers in the factory have been asked to quarantine themselves at home as officials trace the contacts of the patients who tested positive.
Meanwhile, Karnataka on Saturday reported 308 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 6824. Three deaths were reported on Saturday, taking the total to 81.
Kalburgi reported maximum number of cases at 67, followed by Yadgiri at 52.