The panel set up to probe the cause of blast at National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) plant at Unchahar that has so far claimed 35 lives, will submit its report in a month. A blast at the boiler of a new 550 MW unit took place on November 1 and 20 people were killed on the day.
Northern Region office of NTPC in lucknow maintained on Monday that the death toll has risen to 35. A spokesman said that 39 employees were undergoing treatment at various hospitals in lucknow and Delhi and all out efforts were being made for making the best treatment available to the injured staffers in the blast. Of the 39 undergoing treatment, 22 are admitted in Delhi hospitals and 17 in lucknow. A total of six injured were discharged from hospitals after treatment at Rae Bareli and lucknow.
The NTPC maintained that an officer has been deputed for each injured worker admitted in Delhi and lucknow hospitals. The NTPC officials were working round the clock to normalise the situation and ensure relief to the victims and their families. Around 23,000 employees of the NTPC across the country have decided to contribute one day’s salary for the victims of Unchahar tragedy. The donation will amount to Rs 23 crore. The NTPC has also disbursed ex-gratia to the victims and their families which is in addition to the relief announced by Union Power minister RK Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The NTPC spokesman said that an expert committee of top technical experts will examine every possible cause of the blast. He said that the incident was uncommon and a failure which was rarest of the rare in nature. A team of technical experts from the manufacturer of the plant - the BHEl, was also examining the cause of the blast.