The Chhattisgarh Police on Thursday filed a first information report against Vedanta Group chairperson Anil Agarwal and several others in connection with an explosion at a power plant owned by the firm that killed 20 persons and injured 15, The Indian Express reported.
The blast took place on Tuesday at Singhitarai village in the Sakti district, when a steel tube carrying superheated steam from a boiler to a turbine at the power plant burst. The superheated steam from the tube blast engulfed workers who were eating their lunch.
Sakti Superintendent of Police Prafull Thakur said on Thursday that a case had been registered at the Dabhra police station under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to causing death by negligence, negligent conduct with respect to machinery and common intention.
“Eight to ten individuals, including Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal, have been named in the FIR,” PTI quoted Thakur as saying. “If more persons are found responsible during the investigation, their names will be added.”
The police officer added that an investigation into the blast is underway and several reports are awaited, including post-mortem reports of those who died. A technical team has also been formed to investigate the cause of the blast.
In a statement, the Sakti Police said that the explosion occurred in Boiler-01 at the power plant, The Indian Express reported.
It added that the preliminary technical report submitted by the chief inspector of boilers at the site clarified that an excessive accumulation of fuel inside the boiler furnace caused extreme pressure, leading to the explosion.
“Due to this pressure, the lower pipe of the boiler shifted from its designated position, resulting in this severe accident,” the newspaper quoted the statement as saying. “Similarly, the report provided by FSL [Forensic Science Laboratory] Sakti confirmed that the excessive accumulation of fuel and the subsequent additional pressure were the primary causes of the explosion.”
The police said that during the investigation, it had come to light that the Vedanta Group and its contractor NTPC GE Power Services Limited “did not properly adhere to the standards regarding the maintenance and operation of machinery and equipment”, the newspaper reported.
“Negligence in equipment upkeep and lapses in operation caused sudden fluctuations in the boiler’s pressure, leading to the accident,” it said. “Based on available evidence and technical reports, clear negligence has been observed in the incident.”
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, state Minister of Commerce and Industry (Labour) Lakhan Lal Dewangan said that the Union government has formed a committee to look into the matter.
Describing the accident as “very big”, he said that those responsible will not be spared. The minister also said Rs 42 lakh compensation has been announced for the families of the deceased and Rs 17 lakh for those injured.
District Collector Amrit Vikas Topno had earlier said that the sub-divisional magistrate of Dabhra has been asked to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within 30 days.
Vedanta had also said that it will provide Rs 35 lakh compensation and employment to the families of the persons who died. The company said it will give Rs 15 lakh to those injured, continue paying their salaries until they recover, and provide counselling support.
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