Sigachi Industries on Wednesday confirmed that 40 of its employees have lost their lives in the recent explosion at its Pashamylaram plant in Sangareddy district, Telangana. Along with this, the company has also announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 1 crore each to the families of the deceased.
According to Sangareddy’s Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj, the official death toll stood at 38 as of Wednesday afternoon.
Chief Minister Reddy on Tuesday stated that the state government would ensure the compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of those who died in the accident. He added, “Those seriously injured will receive Rs 10 lakh each, while those with minor injuries, who can return to work after recovery, will be given Rs 5 lakh.”
Sigachi Industries statement
Sigachi Industries also reiterated its commitment to give Rs 1 crore ex gratia to the families of the deceased in a statement. However, the company mentioned that “the injured will receive full medical and rehabilitation support”. It also clarified that, contrary to some media reports, the accident was not caused by a reactor explosion.
The statement further said that plant operations have been temporarily suspended for approximately 90 days, with the company promising further updates as the investigation progresses.
Sigachi’s Vice-Chairman
Meanwhile, Sigachi’s Vice-Chairman, Chidambarnathan Shanmuganathan, faced a confrontation with grieving family members at Patancheru Area Hospital, who demanded information about their loved ones. When questioned about the plant’s safety record, Shanmuganathan asserted that the facility had been operating satisfactorily for 35 years and denied any negligence, stating, “How can we ignore them?”
However, when asked about the absence of a No Objection Certificate (NoC) from the Fire Department, Shanmuganathan stated he had not overseen the plant for the past five years and could not comment on the matter.
FIR Filed
In response to a complaint filed by a family member of one of the victims, Sangareddy police have registered an FIR against the factory management. The case has been filed under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), and 117 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
(With PTI Inputs)