Likewise, we have another deceptive front in factories behind the laminated scaffolding of which lurk the unsafest of shop floors, worn out machinery tangles and levels of yardage without adequate emergency exits and fire extinguisher cylinders. Industrial concerns that should have been licensed to manufacture seem now to be licensed to kill. And think of it -- as shudders are sent through the spines -- that there are suspected to be more unregistered factories than the registered ones. How abysmally lower the safety standards in them must be!

This is a dismal state of affairs, made the bleaker by an analysis of statistics that flood newspapers after a catastrophic accident or two. We, in the media, need also to introspect this seasonal aspect of post-haste statistical torrents even though these are released as we plod in.

It is the massive failure of the so-called inspection and monitory wing under the directorate of labour ministry that has come to glaring light in a recent survey. When one gets to know that the manpower strength of inspectorate is 20 for 50,000 factories, one can only grit one's teeth in impotent rage about government's priority agenda list.

Then the emphasis of whatever little inspection mechanism we have is curiously laid on instituting cases concerning wage and job discriminations. The labour court seldom gets cases about violation of safety rules. Corruption has seeped the structure noxiously as is evidenced by the fact that inspectors are only keen to file cases where accused would come forward to negotiate with them to be let off the hook, allegedly on payment of graft.

The government has its job cut out in the area. The question is: will it move to do anything about it?