Kolkata, May 18 (IANS): The nine workers killed in the illegal firecracker factory explosion in West Bengal's East Midnapore district were forced to take up the job owing to acute poverty and lack of alternative income opportunities.

According to sources from the state government, the provision of 100-day job scheme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the entire Egra block, like many other pockets in West Bengal, had been suspended for around the last couple of years due to paucity of funds under the scheme.

In such a situation, local people claim that owners of illegal factories in the region like that of Krishnapada Bag a.k,a. Bhanu provided an opportunity offering a daily wage of Rs 400 to those looking for jobs.

"Despite knowing the acute risk involved, these poor people were forced to accept the offers from people like Bhanu. The Trinamool Congress- controlled panchayats actually looted money by creating fake job-cards and fake master-roles. Because of this rampant corruption, the central funds under the job scheme have been stopped and people are forced to look for alternative jobs even at the cost of risking their lives," said local BJP leader Mamata Maiti.

Admitting that some people are often getting lured because of the lack of alternative income opportunities, the local Trinamool Congress MLA Tarun Maiti has alleged that the Union government had deliberately held back the funds under MGNREGA scheme out of vendetta after being defeated in the 2021 state Assembly polls.

"As long as the funds were there, all got jobs under the MGNREGA schemes. Even after the central funds were discontinued, the state government tried to continue with their limited resources, but it is impossible to continue with the scheme for long without the Centre's grants," he said.