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Time of India
02-07-2025
- Time of India
Telangana pharma plant explosion: Toll rises to 38, govt says still 11 missing
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has risen to 38 on Wednesday even as the company announced a Rs 1 crore compensation amid allegation of usage of outdated machinery in the unit.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 PTI 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". Live Events 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 Meanwhile, a police FIR filed against the company stated Sigachi had been using outdated machinery and workers were compelled to operate it.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. However, another senior official of the department opined that the building in which the plant was located might not have had the required height to obtain the NoC. A senior official of the Department of Factories told PTI that though the exact cause is still under investigation, the explosion is believed to have resulted from excessive pressure build-up in the dryer of the unit. "Basic reason is excess pressure built up in the dryer. The contributory factors for the pressure building have to be examined. The factors could be temperature exceeding the desired levels, besides others," the official said. Meanwhile, investigators probing the devastating explosion are facing significant challenges as three key officials of the firm who could have provided crucial data have died in the tragedy. The deaths of the factory manager, DGM (production) and an operator have posed a major hurdle in getting critical information for the probe, an official of the factories department said. The investigation by the department may take about a fortnight, subject to the availability of information. However, he said the result of the probe will not be delayed. The state government on Wednesday issued orders constituting a committee of experts to identify the causes and establish the sequence of events that led to the major explosion. The committee is expected to visit the site on Thursday. So far, 19 bodies have been handed over to their family members, a Revenue department official told PTI. The identity of the bodies was established either by conducting DNA tests or the concerned family members identifying them, he said. The process of identifying the remaining bodies was underway, he said. Meanwhile, the family members of missing workers continued to wait agonizingly for any information about their loved ones. They alleged that the search for human presence and clearing the debris has been going on at a slow pace. "The body of a person was found today and his skin was not at all damaged. His clothes were intact. Had he been extricated the same day (Monday), he would have survived. Why is there so much delay," a woman told reporters.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Telangana factory blast: Amit Shah expresses grief, says NDRF continuing rescue operation
Image courtesy: PTI NEW DELHI: Union minister Amit Shah on Monday expressed condolences over the Telangana factory blast, which claimed 12 lives, and informed that the NDRF team is continuing the rescue operation along with the local administration. "Saddened by the tragic accident in a chemical factory in Sangareddy, Telangana. The NDRF team rushed to the spot immediately and is continuing the rescue operation along with the local administration," Amit Shah said. "My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the swift recovery of those injured," he added. Twelve people were killed and 34 others injured in a powerful blast at a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in Sangareddy district. The explosion occurred around 9.30 am at Sigachi Industries' plant in Pashamylaram, where approximately 90 people were on duty, news agency PTI reported. State health minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha and labour minister G Vivek Venkatswamy visited the site and confirmed the casualties. While the exact cause is yet to be ascertained, Telangana Fire Services Director General Y Nagi Reddy said preliminary observations suggest a blast occurred in the drying unit, possibly due to pressure build-up during the handling process. The explosion flattened the three-storey structure, and rescue teams are still clearing debris to ensure no one remains trapped. Of the 34 injured, 12 are in critical condition and on ventilator support, Labour Minister Venkatswamy said, citing severe respiratory stress caused by burns. The factory in-charge was among those killed, leaving no immediate representative from the company to detail what transpired. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy expressed deep anguish over the tragedy and directed officials to ensure top-tier medical care for the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief, announcing an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PM's National Relief Fund. The company issued a statement mourning the loss and promising full support to those affected. Meanwhile, DNA tests are being conducted to identify several victims whose bodies were charred beyond recognition, officials told PTI.
Hans India
22-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
About 5,000 people participated in the Internat
About 5,000 people participated in the International Yoga Day celebrations held at Gachibowli stadium in Hyderabad. Among them also were senior officials and general people who took part with enthusiasm in the event. Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha who led the event, described Yoga as India's gift to the world, and added that the ancient spiritual discipline unites body, mind, and the soul.
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Business Standard
04-06-2025
- General
- Business Standard
T'gana mental health institute: 1 dead, 70 complain of vomiting, diarrhoea
The patient who died was found unresponsive on Tuesday morning. Despite efforts by medical staff on duty to revive him with CPR, he was later declared dead at the state-run Osmania General Hospital Press Trust of India Hyderabad One person died and around 70 others suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea at the Telangana government's Institute of Mental Health (IMH) here, officials said. The incident occurred on Tuesday, prompting an investigation into it. The patient who died was found unresponsive on Tuesday morning. Despite efforts by medical staff on duty to revive him with CPR, he was later declared dead at the state-run Osmania General Hospital (OGH), Hyderabad District Collector Anudeep Durishetty, who visited the IMH, told reporters. Nearly 70 other patients have reported vomiting and diarrhoea. Two patients whose blood pressure was low were admitted to the OGH and their condition was not serious, he said. The remaining patients were under observation in the mental hospital and a special team of doctors has been called to attend to them. All the patients are stable, he said. The district collector said water samples from the source in the IMH were sent to the state government's Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM) and the reports did not indicate any problem. Other samples collected from the water distribution network were sent for analysis and the reports are awaited, the collector added. As the samples of food consumed by the patients on Monday was not available, the stool and vomit analysis of the patients was being done to ascertain if any food poisoning occurred. The cause of the problem would be known after reports are received, the district collector said, adding that an alternative water source has been arranged. Meanwhile, state Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha enquired with officials about the matter and gave necessary directions, official sources said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mint
27-05-2025
- Health
- Mint
Covid-19: Maharashtra's Thane records 24 cases, 36 test positive in Karnataka
Covid-19: Maharashtra's Thane city recorded 24 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday. Nine patients are currently admitted to various hospitals for treatment, while 46 others are under home quarantine. A Covid-19 patient died at a civic hospital last week. According to officials, he was suffering from diabetes-related complications. Karnataka recorded a total of 36 Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, pushing the state's active cases count to 100. According to a bulletin issued by the health department, while the positivity rate in the last 24 hours is 9.44 per cent, total tests done in Karnataka in the last 24 hours is 381. This included 361 RTPCR tests. Earlier in the day, Karnataka Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said doctors and health workers have been instructed to wear masks. He also said there is no reason for the public to panic, as the government has taken all necessary precautionary measures. Telangana Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha has asked officials to closely monitor the rise in COVID-19 cases and educate people on the precautions to be followed. One COVID-19 case has been reported in Telangana recently, as per official data. The minister, who held a meeting on the COVID-19 situation with health officials, heads of scientific institutions and other experts based in the city, instructed them to keep a watch on respiratory illnesses and vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya. During the meeting held on Monday, the experts said, quoting available data and ongoing research, that the COVID-19 situation is under control and does not pose any significant public health threat at this juncture, according to a release from the health minister's office. Though sporadic rise in cases has been reported in some countries, hospitalisation rates remain negligible, they said. It was emphasised that individuals with comorbidities or compromised immunity should exercise due caution, while there is no cause for general alarm among the public, the release said. The experts also said India has largely achieved herd immunity which is contributing to the stabilisation of the situation.
