T'gana Govt Forms Panel to Probe Blast at Pharma Firm

The Telangana government on Wednesday constituted an expert committee to investigate the explosion that occurred in Sigachi Industries Ltd at Pashamylaram in Sangareddy district on Monday, claiming 38 lives and leaving 34 others injured.

- Srinivasa Rao Apparasu

HYDERABAD:

The management of Sigachi Industries on Wednesday issued a statement stating the total toll in the mishap was 40 and the total number of injured was 33. It also announced payment of ₹1 crore to the families of each of the victims towards ex-gratia compensation.

"Those injured would get full medical support and rehabilitation," Sigachi Industries Ltd company secretary Vivek Kumar said in the statement.

A government order issued by chief secretary K Ramakrishna Rao in the evening said the committee would be headed by CSIR-IICT chairman and emeritus scientist B Venkateswar Rao and comprise chief scientist from IICT T Prathap Kumar, retired scientist from central leather research institute Surya Narayana and safety officer of National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) Santosh Ghuge as members.

The GO said the experts committee will identify the causes and establish reasons and the events that led to the major explosion that occurred in Sigachi Industries on Monday.

"It shall find out whether the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for worker safety was followed or not in the industrial unit and whether there is any absence or lack of or violation of compliance of chemical and industrial processes that are required to be followed by the company management in the industrial unit," it said.