The public sector steel giant Steel Authority of India ltd (SAIl) has constituted a high-level committee to enquire into the causes of the incident at Pump House No 2 at its largest unit, Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), leading to gas exposure on June 12 which left six persons dead and 40 others seriously sick.
Two of the six casualties suffered in the mishap were of executive level officers of the Deputy General Manager (DGM) rank.
The committee comprises RK Nehru, ED (MM), BSP, Atul Shrivastava, ED (P&A) Corporate Office, SAIl, N Bhattacharya, ED (Operations) Corporate Office, SAIl, BB Mishra, ED, Safety, SAIl Safety Organisation, K Mazumdar, General Manager, Energy Management Dept, BSl, and PK Das, GM, Blast Furnace, RSP Shri N Bhattacharya, ED (Operations) Corporate Office as members.
The committee will investigate the various aspects of the incident, fix responsibility and suggest measures to be taken to prevent occurrence of incidents of such nature in future. The committee will submit its report within three weeks.
Meanwhile, the condition of those still admitted into JlN Hospital is fast improving. According to a medical bulletin issued by the hospital on Monday, by 1.30 pm only one patient AK Meshram remained into the hospital. He has been taken off the ventilator in the ICU.
The remaining 3 out of 4 patients who were in the ward of the hospital were discharged on June 15. SK Rout who was admitted in 'A-3' Ward, was discharged on Monday. The process of normalising affected units of the Plant is picking up pace, and all efforts are being made in this direction, BSP officials informed.
By Monday (June 16), a number of measures were completed for the safety and revival of Pump House-2. Online CO gas monitors have been installed inside Pump House to cover the entire area with local and Remote Audio Visual Alarm System. Portable CO gas monitors are being used by the personnel deployed inside the Pump House. Energy Management Department is continuously monitoring the Ambient Air, officials informed.
Water supply to General Purpose Group, Blast Furnace Cooling and Blast Furnace Gas Cleaning Plant has been normalised. Simultaneously, the repair and commissioning of pump motors is progressing round-the-clock. The Blast Furnaces are being prepared for starting, they stated.
The entire collective of Bhilai Steel Plant is engaged in normalizing production from affected units and the process of revival of the units is in progress. The process of revival is being monitored at the highest level and all necessary support is being provided, officials stated.