NTPC power plant blast: Toll rises to 29; magisterial probe ordered

Rae Bareli: The toll in the explosion at NTPC's Unchahar plant climbed to 29, with nine more deaths reported on Thursday.

"Twenty nine persons have succumbed to injuries and 85 were being treated at hospitals in Rae Bareli and Lucknow," the NTPC said in an official release.

The Centre also ordered a probe by the NTPC's executive director into the incident while the state administration ordered a magisterial probe.

Meanwhile, Union Power Minister RK Singh visited the site to oversee relief measures in what is one of the worst tragedies at a power plant in recent history.

Singh announced Rs 20 lakh ex-gratia for the next of kin of those killed in the accident.

"I am of the view that the ex-gratia which was earlier announced was not enough. Rs 20 lakh compensation will be given to the next of kin of those who died in the accident, while the seriously injured will get Rs 10 lakh and those who sustained minor injuries will be given Rs 2 lakh," he told reporters.

On the other hand, Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister Shrikant Sharma tweeted, "The Centre has constituted a committee to probe the accident. The committee headed by executive director of NTPC will submit its report in 30 days."

This amount is in addition to the compensation provided under the workmen compensation rules, he said.

एनटीपीसी में हुए हादसे में मृतक आश्रितों को 20लाख,गंभीर रूप से घायलों को 10लाख व घायलों को 2लाख रुपए अनुग्रह राशि दी जाएगी (1/3) @BJP4India — Shrikant Sharma (@ptshrikant) November 2, 2017

पीएम श्री मोदी ने ऊंचाहार हादसे के मृतक आश्रितों को 2लाख रुपये,घायलों को 50हजार रुपये अतिरिक्त अनुग्रह राशि की घोषणा की है (2/3) @BJP4India — Shrikant Sharma (@ptshrikant) November 2, 2017

योगी सरकार भी मृतक आश्रितों को 2लाख रुपये,घायलों को निःशुल्क इलाज के साथ 50हजार व 25हजार रुपये की अतिरिक्त राशि दे रही है। (3/3) @BJP4India — Shrikant Sharma (@ptshrikant) November 2, 2017

In addition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the deceased.

Prime Minister @narendramodi has approved an ex- gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the accident at the NTPC plant in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh. PM has approved Rs. 50,000 each for those injured due to the accident. — PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 2, 2017

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is abroad on an official tour, has also announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the grievously injured besides Rs 25,000 for the other injured workers.

The NTPC in an official release said that unit number six (500 MW) of the plant was under shutdown after the accident.

However, five other units of 1,050 MW capacity were operating normally.

The 500 MW unit was made operational in March this year.

NTPC has said that at unit number six of its Unchahar plant, there was a sudden abnormal sound at 20-meter elevation around 3:30 pm on Wednesday afternoon.

There was an opening in corner number two from which gases and steam 'escaped' affecting the people working around the area, it had said.

(With PTI inputs)