Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will take a break from his ongoing ‘Navsarjan Yatra’ in poll-bound Gujarat to visit Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday to meet the families of victims of a massive explosion at an NTPC power plant. [caption id=“attachment_4188919” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Over 20 people were killed in the NTPC blast. PTI[/caption] At least 20 people were killed and nearly 100 injured when a massive explosion ripped a boiler at the state-run power giant NTPC’s Unchahar plant. “Due to the unfortunate NTPC accident, I will visit Raebareli on Thursday morning. Will join Gujarat Navsarjan Yatra in the afternoon,” the Congress leader tweeted. Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday began his three-day campaign tour of south Gujarat, where Assembly poll will be held in December. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who represents Raebareli in the Lok Sabha, in her condolence message said she wanted to be with the families of the victims to share their pain in this hour of grief, but could not do so due to her indisposition. The NTPC initiated a probe to ascertain the reasons behind the blast, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the grievously injured. Among those injured are three additional general managers of the NTPC plant, who are undergoing treatment in Lucknow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply pained” by the accident at the power plant and added that the situation was being closely monitored. ADG Kumar said that all available ambulances were pressed into service, and the additional district magistrate and the additional superintendent of police were on the spot to supervise relief and rescue operations. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on a three-day official visit to Mauritius, ordered that necessary steps be taken for rescue and relief. The chief minister has taken cognisance of the Unchahar accident and has directed the principal secretary (home) to ensure that all steps were taken for rescue and relief, principal secretary (information) Awanish Awasthi, who is accompanying Adityanath, said. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team was also despatched to the explosion site from the state capital for relief and rescue operations, an official said. The explosion triggered panic among the employees who ran helter-skelter. Such explosions can generate searing heat, an official said. An injured employee undergoing treatment at a hospital said that a sudden gush of hot gas with contents of ash-like material engulfed him at the NTPC plant. The man said he was unable to understand what had happened and found himself on a hospital bed with his body scalded all over, when he regained consciousness. The plant area was cordoned off by the police to facilitate smooth running of ambulances. Two companies of the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been sent to the plant as reinforcement. With inputs from agencies
Uttar Pradesh NTPC blast highlights: Congress demands probe; unit of Rae Bareli plant shut down
Rahul Gandhi will visit Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday to meet the families of victims of a massive explosion at an NTPC power plant
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Uttar Pradesh government orders probe
State authorities have ordered an inquiry to determine within seven days the cause of a blast. Sanjay Kumar Khatri, a top government official of Raebareli district, told Reuters that a magisterial inquiry has been initiated.
Power minister RK Singh went to the district hospital to visit injured
More bodies buried under rubble, allege workers protesting at the explosion site
The families of labourers working at NTPC’s Unchahar plant have launched a protest outside the complex, alleging that many more bodies are buried under the ash and rubble inside the plant but the authorities are not doing anything to retrieve them, News18 reported.
Protesting labourers and families claimed that several workers who were working inside the plant when the blast happened are still unaccounted for.
In pictures: Rahul Gandhi surveys the blast site
Rahul Gandhi demands government job for kin of deceased
After meeting the families of victims, Rahul Gandhi demanded better compensation and a government job for them. He further said that the workers that there should be a proper probe and the guilty should be punished.
RK Singh forms committee for detailed probe
Congress to demand probe into plant explosion
“People are saying that it (the plant unit) was run early (before schedule). It should not have been run that way. We will demand a probe,” the Congress vice-president told reporters.
In Picture: Rahul Gandhi meets family members of the victims
Ghulam Nabi Azad demands probe into safety standards
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who accompanied Rahul Gandhi to the blast site, said that allegations by workers over safety standards should be probed.
Workers warned officials about a possible disaster
A worker from Jharkhand told DNA that a couple of them had complained to the head of the boiler that something was choking the boiler and steam pipes. Workers also claimed to have submitted a written request asking to shut down the unit.
Unchahar plant, which has reported an explosion, had recently set a national record with 686 days of continuous generation by its 210 MW Unit-I surpassing APL Mundra achievement.
RK Singh announces compensation for kin of deceased
Union power minister RK Singh announced Rs 20 lakh for family of workers killed in the blast, Rs 10 lakh for critically injured and Rs 5 lakh for labourers with minor injuries, reported Hindustan Times .
NTPC shuts down Unchahar plant unit after blast
NTPC on Thursday said it has shut a 500 MW unit at its Unchahar coal-fired power station in Rae Bareli after the explosion. “This is to inform that Unit-6 (500 MW) of Feroze Gandhi Unchahar Thermal Power Station, Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, is under shutdown after an accident in the evening of 1 November. The other five units of the station are operating normally,” NTPC said in a statement. –PTI
NTPC announces ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for kin of deceased
The NTPC has announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for the seriously injured.
NTPC has also said that it will bear all medical expenses of the people injured in the tragedy.
The Unchahar plant supplies power to nine states
The 1,550-megawatt (MW) plant in the town of Unchahar supplies electricity to nine states, according to NTCP’s website. But the company said other facilities would make up the shortfall and outages were unlikely. — Reuters
Prime minister approves ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for kin of victims
Other five units of the NTPC station operating normally
“Unit#6 (500 MW) of Feroze Gandhi Unchahar Thermal Power Station, Raebareli, UP, is under shutdown after an accident in the evening of 01.11.2017. The other five units of the station are operating normally,” said a statement from the NTPC PRO.
Death toll rises to 26
ANI UP quoted Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar as saying that the death toll in the NTPC explosion had risen to 26.
Rahul Gandhi in Raebareli district hospital
Rahul Gandhi meets victims’ families in Raebareli
Operations at NTPC unit number 6 continued till Wednesday whereas they were supposed to be stopped on 28 October
Air ambulances land at Lucknow airport
Two air ambulances have already landed and three others are on their way.
Workers protest at NTPC plant gate
Image courtesy: Madhav Singh
Death toll rises to 18, 22 people with severe burn injuries referred to Lucknow
PM Modi tweets condolences to NTPC victims, says govt closely monitoring situation
Samajwadi Party former MLA, Manoj Pandey alleges NTPC management discriminated between higher offcials, labourers in providing medical assistance
15 patients being treated in Lucknow hospitals
Seven patients were brought at the King George medical college in Lucknow, four people were taken to civil hospital and four others are recieveing treatment at Balram hospital.
Over 50 Ambulances pressed into service; extra beds reserved in Rae Bareli, Lucknow, Balrampur hospitals: Siddharth nath Singh
Rescue operations being carried out at NTPC plant
Image courtesy: Madhav Singh 101 reporters
NTPC has high safety records, incident very unusual, says former Power Secy
“An incident involving a high pressure and high temperature area can have serious repercussions. This appears to be a very unusual incident because NTPC has a high record of safety. Let us wait for the investigation report,” says Anil Razdan, India’s former power secretary, reported Hindustan Times .
Boiler plant where explosion occurred was setup just 7 months ago
According to NDTV, the boiler plant unit where the explosion was opened just 7 months ago in March. The plant was built by BHEL and was still under trial.
Watch: Labour Union leader alleges oversight of safety measures, management apathy