Fire safety at sensitive Ordnance Factories and explosive depot is vulnerable to any untoward incident. Competent authorities have allegedly failed in ensuring implementation of protocol to ensure safety of these sensitive defence establishments and safety of residents in estate areas. Ordnance Factory Khamaria (OFK), Central Ordnance Depot (COD) and Explosive Depot Khamaria (EDK) are surrounded by dense forest area.

Fire in dry forest areas is a common feature during summers but it is vulnerable for sensitive factory and depot. Despite knowing the fact, competent authorities have failed in banning fireworks in estate area. Fireworks is a common practice during marriage and birthday celebrations and other ceremonies organised in the Estate area.

Community Hall of Junior Staff is situated adjacent to EDK while several marriage and festival celebrations are organised at Senior Staff Club, Subhash Ground and Westland Ground. Surprisingly, District Magistrate Jabalpur every year releases a notification on ban on use of fireworks near sensitive defence establishments during Diwali but defence authorities are yet to release any notification for residents of OFK estate area to regulate use of firecrackers.

OFK General Manager Ashok Kumar, while talking to ‘The Hitavada’, informed that there are specific guidelines for using fireworks during marriage functions and administration is taking stringent measures for implementing safety norms. He expressed the need of awareness amongst residents to avoid use of fireworks in surroundings of defence establishments for their own safety.