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Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Father-son duo unfurls ‘say no to drugs' banner atop Mount Elbrus
Hyderabad: From the top of the tallest mountain in Europe and Russia — Mount Elbrus — a father-son duo from Peddapalli district unfurled a banner, reading 'Say no to drugs.' The 42-year-old former Indian Army soldier, Lenkala Mahipal Reddy and his son, Vivekananda Reddy, who is in Class 9, scaled the 18,510 ft (5,642 meters) Mount Elbrus, located in southwestern Russia, on Aug 2. "We braved rough and windy weather to reach the summit," Mahipal Reddy, a constable in the excise department based in Karimnagar, told TOI on Wednesday. After their summit, they returned to India on August 5. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Peddapalli district collector Koya Sriharsha felicitated the father and son at his office on Wednesday, appreciating them for their efforts. "Perhaps we are the first father-son duo to climb the peak," said Mahipal Reddy. While it was Vivekananda's first summit, for Mahipal, it was not his first rodeo A seasoned mountaineer who has scaled several peaks, Mahipal himself provided his son with the training needed to undertake this mammoth mission. He had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 metres) in Tanzania once in June 2019 and again in Jan 2025. In India, he has climbed several other mountains, including Mount Kang Yatze (6,400 metres), Mount Yunam (6,159 metres), Mount Friendship (5,287 metres) and Mount Patalsu (4,250 metres). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like When Knee Pain Hits, Start Eating These Foods, and Feel Your Pain Go Away (It's Genius) Read More Undo After serving a decade in the army, Mahipal joined the excise department in 2014 as a constable. "Climbing mountains and mountainous regions was something I did in the army. I am used to it. However, after joining the excise department, I took it up as a way of spreading the anti-drug message," he said. Working in the excise department has brought him into contact with numerous cases of addiction, and he therefore feels it is his duty to spread the anti-drug message in every possible way.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Time of India
Telangana Factory Blast: Eyewitnesses share horror stories of workers being flung 100 meters in air
Telangana Factory Blast: How it happened? Live Events PM, Ministers mourn deaths and promise aid (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A powerful blast at Sigachi Industries Ltd 's chemical unit in Telangana's Pashamylaram industrial estate killed at least 35 people on Monday. Many more remain missing. Workers were flung through the air as fire spread and parts of the plant collapsed within at the site said the force was brutal. Some described bodies being thrown far away. 'Workers were tossed into the air and thrown several metres away,' they told South First. Most victims were migrant labourers from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and other Monday, Telangana health minister Damodar Rajanarasimha confirmed about 90 workers were inside when the blast struck, as reported by PTI. Quoting survivors, he said, 'The explosion blew up the industrial shed completely and the force of the blast was so intense that some of the workers were thrown up in the air and they fell down about 100 metres away.'Patancheru MLA Mahipal Reddy stood at the scene and directly blamed the company. 'The company is running without any safety precautions. Many people have been injured and have died,' he told reporters. He also claimed the firm may be hiding the real death blast hit at around 9.20 am inside a drying unit. Sigachi Industries said in a statement, 'The incident happened at approximately 9.20 am in the vicinity of our Hyderabad plant located at Pashamylaram, Phase-1.'Director General of State Disaster Response and Fire Services Y Nagi Reddy explained, 'As per industrial experts, the incident happened during the air handling/drying of Microcrystalline cellulose. We are currently unsure of the number of people under the debris.' He added later, 'Today, at around 9.48 am, there was a blast in the drying unit at Sigachi Pharma Company. The explosion led to a fire. A total of 12 people have died and 35 are injured in the incident.'The company announced a complete production halt at the Hyderabad unit for 90 days for repairs. 'In addition to the human losses, the incident also caused damage to certain ancillary equipment and civil structures within the facility,' Sigachi said in its stock exchange filing. 'While the exact number of injured is currently being confirmed, the well-being of our personnel remains our foremost priority.'This unit produces about 6,000 metric tonnes of MCC every year — nearly a third of the company's the blast, thick smoke spread across the area. Many locals complained of breathing problems. Authorities began evacuating residents as a precaution while rescue teams searched for trapped Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss. He announced Rs 2 lakh for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Union Minister and Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy said, 'NDRF, Police and other agencies are engaged in relief financial assistance of Rs 2 lakhs each will be given to families of the deceased persons and Rs 50,000 to the injured.'He added, 'The BJP never does politics on such issues. We will fully cooperate in relief state government should take all steps to prevent such accidents.'Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on X, '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.' He added, 'My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the swift recovery of those injured.'This tragedy is not isolated. In the past 30 months, Telangana has seen at least 10 major blasts in industrial areas like Pashamylaram and Patancheru. Poor maintenance and shortage of skilled operators are December, this very Sigachi plant cleared a safety check by the factories department. But after Monday's blast, it has been shut down indefinitely. Investigators say no highly flammable solvents were found near the dryers. B Raja Gopal, Director of Factories, told TOI, 'Our preliminary findings suggest that the explosion was due to pressure accumulation in air handling in the dryer. The equipment may have experienced blockages from materials, resulting in heavy pressure build up. This might have triggered a blast.'HYDRAA Commissioner A V Ranganath added, 'The intense heat built up in the container led to the blast which impacted an area up to 50 metres.'As rescue teams sift through debris, families of workers wait for news. This blast has again exposed the risks workers face every day in Telangana's industrial hubs. Many now ask if anything will really change.
Hindustan Times
01-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
‘Workers hurled 100 metres away': Eyewitnesses recall Telangana factory explosion horror
Eyewitnesses at the pharmaceutical unit in Telangana's Pashamylaram industrial estate, located in Sangareddy district, recounted the terrifying moments of the massive explosion that has so far claimed at least 42 lives, with more bodies being recovered during ongoing rescue efforts. The explosion at a Telangana pharmaceutical plant on Monday, June 30, 2025, led to the collapse of the unit and quickly spread fire to nearby buildings on-site.(PTI) Describing the aftermath to the media, eyewitnesses said the blast's impact was so powerful that 'workers were tossed into the air and thrown several metres away.' Reports indicate that several workers were close to the reactor when it exploded. According to South First, many of those employed at the facility were migrant labourers from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and other states. Workers flung, fell 100 metres away On Monday, Telangana health minister Damodar Rajanarasimha told reporters that about 90 employees were present at the time of the blast, according to news agency PTI. Quoting workers, he said, 'The explosion blew up the industrial shed completely and the force of the blast was so intense that some of the workers were thrown up in the air and they fell down about 100 metres away.' Patancheru MLA Mahipal Reddy, speaking at the scene, accused the company of neglecting safety protocols. 'The company is running without any safety precautions. Many people have been injured and have died,' he stated, also alleging that the management was withholding the actual casualty figures. What went wrong? The explosion at the Telangana pharmaceutical facility caused the manufacturing unit to collapse, with flames rapidly engulfing nearby buildings within the factory compound. On Monday, Y Nagi Reddy, Director General of the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services, said rescue teams were uncertain about how many individuals remained trapped beneath the rubble. He said, 'As per industrial experts, the incident happened during the air handling/drying of Microcrystalline cellulose. We are currently unsure of the number of people under the debris.' The blast occurred around 9.20 am on Monday at the production unit of Sigachi Industries Ltd, a prominent producer of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), as well as pharmaceutical excipients, food ingredients, and cosmetic products. In a statement, the company confirmed: 'The incident happened at approximately 9.20 am in the vicinity of our Hyderabad plant located at Pashamylaram, Phase-1.' Later in the day, Sigachi Industries informed the stock exchange that production at the Hyderabad facility would be suspended for 90 days to allow for repairs and restoration. 'In addition to the human losses, the incident also caused damage to certain ancillary equipment and civil structures within the facility,' the filing noted. The company added, 'While the exact number of injured is currently being confirmed, the well-being of our personnel remains our foremost priority.' Sigachi Industries operates three MCC manufacturing units, with the Hyderabad plant – where the explosion took place – contributing 6,000 MTPA out of the company's total 21,700 MTPA capacity. The remaining output comes from two other facilities in Gujarat. The blast has caused widespread panic among local communities and workers, as thick smoke spread across the area, triggering breathing difficulties. Authorities have begun evacuating nearby residents as a safety precaution.
New Indian Express
22-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Hyderabad fire that killed 17 likely caused by inverter short circuit, say investigators
HYDERABAD: The fire that killed 17 members of a family that owns a jewellery business in Gulzar Houz could have been prevented if basic electrical safety protocols had been followed, investigators believe. Experts who assessed the site on Wednesday pointed to an electrical short circuit in the inverter circuit of the Krishna Pearls shop as the probable cause of the blaze. Mahipal Reddy, Fire Engineer from Hyderabad and Nilesh Ukunde, Chief Investigator, Forensic Fire and Cyber Investigators, Nagpur, visited the premises to conduct a detailed inquiry. Their final report is expected to be submitted to the Fire department DG within two days. Preliminary findings suggest that although the regular power supply had been turned off, a routine practice, the inverter circuit remained active. The fire reportedly began in an LED display unit connected to this circuit, then spread rapidly through the shop. Fire department DG Y Nagi Reddy said that the fire originated in the Krishna Pearls outlet and engulfed the entire floor. An air conditioning unit in the same room is believed to have caught fire or malfunctioned, contributing to its rapid spread. Combustible materials such as plywood furnishings, chairs and other items added to the intensity of the blaze. At the time of the incident, 23 persons were present in the building—19 family members and four workers. The fire was first noticed at approximately 5 am by a worker, who alerted the rest of the occupants. While all family members were on the first floor, three workers attempted to extinguish the fire on the ground floor using buckets of water, as instructed by the family. This continued for about 40 minutes before the situation worsened.
