A day after a civilian worker was killed in an accident at the under-construction nuclear submarine at Visakhapatnam, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday the incident was not connected with any nuclear-related activity and will not adversely affect the project or the work of the Navy.
This mishap was the second in consecutive days with a Navy officer getting killed when CO2 leaked in a Kolkatta class destroyer on Friday in Mumbai. The warship is under construction at Mazagon Docks limited (MDl).
Giving the sequence of events leading to the accident in Visakhapatnam where three indigenously designed nuclear-powered submarines INS Arihant are being built, defence ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar said here on Sunday “the accident is in no way related with any nuclear related activity. The submarines are safe and the accident does not adversely affect the project activities or the activities of Indian Navy or Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO).”
He also said work related to the pressure system involved in accident was suspended till the cause is established and mitigating measures are put in place. Moreover, an inquiry has been ordered by the Department of Defence R&D to investigate the accident.
The official version says an accident occurred on Saturday evening at about 5.00 pm while M/s l&T, an industrial partner, was undertaking preparatory activities of hydro pressure test of a tank inside a building at the Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam. The test of the component was part of the standard industrial process being carried out by the industrial partner at the facility.
The accident led to the death of a worker and injury to two other workers of M/s larsen & Toubro. Immediate medical attention was provided and the injured workers are now stable. No defence personnel were involved in the accident.
Incidentally, the first Arihant submarine, which was unveiled to the nation three years back by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to go for sea trials with in the next few weeks. After going through stringent trials, the Navy hopes to induct the submarine by the end of next year or so while the two submarines will augment the fleet in the following two to three years.
The Navy in the last six to seven months has seen at least 12 mishaps involving its ships and submarines and its chief Admiral D K Joshi resigned on February 26 after a fire on board submarine INS Sindhuratna killed two officers.
The most serious mishap was on August 14 last year when explosions on board the docked submarine INS Sindhurakshak at Mumbai harbour claimed the lives of 18 personnel and the vessel sank. The Government recently awarded the contract to a US based company to salvage the Russian made submarine and process is expected to start within the next few weeks.
Expressing concern over this mishap, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence in its latest report tabled in just concluded winter session, observed that “it is baffling that this vessel had recently returned from Russia after servicing there.” The submarine had undergone mid life upgrade there for more than a year before re-induction into the Navy early last year.
The Parliamentary panel said “how a vessel could meet a disaster of this kind almost immediately after its maintenance,” and recommended that requisite precautionary measures are put in place to ensure safety of personnel on board and equipment placed on various locations in submarines.