- The process of contacting the relatives of the deceased and providing assistance is underway.
- The Health Minister is also in constant touch with the district administration.
Following the devastating boiler explosion at the Vedanta plant in Singhitarai, Sakti district, the district administration has swung into action. Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai is in constant contact with Collector Amrit Vikas Topno and Superintendent of Police Prafulla Thakur regarding the incident and the treatment of the injured, providing necessary guidance. Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal is also continuously reviewing the situation and coordinating with the Collector.
Upon receiving information about the incident, the Collector, Superintendent of Police, and administrative teams immediately arrived at the scene and launched a rescue operation. The injured were prioritized and transported to Fortis Hospital, Medical College, and Apex Hospital in Raigarh. The seriously injured were referred to Kalda Hospital in Raipur for better treatment. The administration barricaded the site and made elaborate security arrangements.
Collector Topno stated that, as per the Chief Minister’s instructions, every effort is being made to provide the best possible treatment to the injured. The deceased have been identified and their families are being contacted. Arrangements have been made to transport the bodies to their native villages via ambulance after the post-mortem and to provide immediate financial assistance.
An agreement has also been reached to pay the injured or affected workers without attendance until they fully recover. The Collector stated that the compensation amount was agreed upon after discussions late into the night. Orders for a magisterial inquiry into the incident have been issued, and the investigation team will soon inspect the site. The SDRF team is also actively involved in the rescue operations.
The Chief Minister has announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 each for the injured. Similarly, the Prime Minister has approved an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
Superintendent of Police, Mr. Prafull Thakur, reported that a total of 36 workers were affected in the accident, of whom 17 have died and 19 are injured, who are undergoing treatment.
The company management has stated that they stand firmly with the affected families. Financial assistance and employment support of ₹3.5 million will be provided to the families of the deceased workers, and ₹1.5 million will be provided to the injured. The injured will continue to receive their wages until they fully recover, and counseling will also be provided.