Hyderabad/Sangareddy: The death toll from the explosion at the Sigachi Industries’ plant in Pashamylaram has risen to 38 on Wednesday even as the company announced a Rs 1 crore compensation amid allegation of usage of outdated machinery in the unit.
State Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha, who has been supervising rescue operations at the accident site, said that 11 people were still missing.
Although most of the debris has been cleared, no human remains have been found, the minister further said.
Sangareddy District Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj told news agency that the toll rose to 38.
In a regulatory filing with bourses, Sigachi said the deadly explosion in its plant has killed 40 persons. However hours after the filing, Amit Raj Sinha, Managing Director & CEO of Sigachi told media persons “there seems to be some over calculation. I believe right now the death toll is at 38”.
Replying to a query on the possible cause for the blast, he said “I believe that there is a dust explosion which has taken place”.
Further, the company denied it used old machinery.
It also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore each to the families of the deceased.
“It is with anguish that we share details of the accident at the Sigachi Industries facility in Pashamylaram, Telangana, which resulted in the loss of 40 valued team members and left over 33 injured,” the company said in a statement earlier. Sinha later clarified the deaths stood at 38.
Meanwhile, a police FIR filed against the company stated Sigachi had been using outdated machinery and workers were compelled to operate it.
The Sangareddy police, based on a complaint by a family member of one of the victims, on Monday registered an FIR under various sections of BNS against the factory management in connection with the explosion.
“The complainant’s father and other employees of Sigachi company informed the Sigachi company management several times regarding change of machinery as they are too old and every possibility of danger may occur and cause heavy loss to the property and men,” the FIR said.
But those requests fell on the deaf ears of the company management, and they continued using the old machinery, as a result of which an explosion occurred in the unit, the FIR further said citing the complainant.
Responding, Amit Raj Sinha denied the allegations.
He said the facility was old but not the machinery.
“The facility is old, but there can be no old equipment which can run and give productivity. So, every time, there is refurbishment. Overall, you change motors, you change running equipment, because otherwise it will not run. It is extremely incorrect to say that there were old equipment running,” he told reporters.
He added the company was taking care of medical expenses of the injured.
Meanwhile, minister Raja Narasimha met family members of the deceased and assured them government help.
He also directed the authorities to provide food and shelter to the family of the deceased and the missing, an official release said.
A senior official of the Telangana Fire Department said the company has no NoC from the department. There were no adequate safety measures, including fire alarms and heat sensors in the plant.