Admitting that striking workers had prevented them from entering the plant despite police presence, Kribhco management officials said leaving the heavy water and ammonia plants unattended for too long was dangerous. ``Ammonia is toxic and an accident will definitely be disastrous'', Kribhco director K Das said.

The plant has been closed from Thursday because of the non-availability of liquefied petroleum gas from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation.

Talking to Express Newsline, president of the Kribhco Karmachari Sangh T C Patel said, ``Though the workers have lost thousands of rupees in the floods, the management is doing practically nothing to get the plant started again, or in solving the drinking water and drainage problem. Garbage, too, has not been removed for more than four days now''.

Other leaders, including Jayesh Patel, Anil Gupta and C H Patel, agreed with the management that the heavy water plant faced a serious threat as it had been unattended since Thursday. ``If there is a leak in the ammonia plant or the heavy water plant, it will affect not only Hazira but also Surat city,'' Patel said.

Despite their apparent concern about the plant, it was clear, however, that the workers were more worried about their personal losses in the floods. Of the 1,100-odd employees, 700-odd families had lost property valued between Rs 20,000 and 50,000, a Kribhco official said, adding that the strike was just a pressure tactic.