Army clarifies JCOS are gazetted officers

NEW DELHI: The army has clarified that junior commissioned officers in its ranks are gazetted officers, recalling a 2011 note that erroneously classified them as non-gazetted officers, sources said on Thursday. They said the 2011 note, issued in response to an RTI query, created rank and pay anomalies for JCOS. RAE BARELI/LUCKNOW: The next of kin of those killed in a boiler explosion at NTPC’S Unchahar plant in Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli district on Wednesday will get a compensation of ₹20 lakh, Union power minister RK Singh said on Thursday.

The state administration has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident, while the Centre has also constituted a probe team headed by the NTPC executive director, amid demands for a judicial probe. A massive explosion had ripped a boiler pipe at NTPC’S Unchahar plant on Wednesday, with chief secretary Rajive Kumar confirming 29 deaths in the incident.

“I am of the view that the ex-gratia announced earlier was not enough. Compensation of ₹20 lakh will be given to the next of kin of those who died in the accident, while the seriously injured will get ₹10 lakh. Those who sustained minor injuries will be given ₹2 lakh,” Singh said. This amount is in addition to the relief provided under the workmen compensation rules, he said.

“The Centre has constituted a committee to probe the incident. The NTPC executive director will head the probe committee and submit report within 30 days,” minister for energy Shrikant Sharma, who visited the site along with Singh, said.

In addition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also approved an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh each for the families of the deceased, the PMO announced on Twitter. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said ₹2 lakh would be given to the families of those killed, ₹50,000 for the grievously injured and ₹25,000 for other injured workers.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the UP government and sought a detailed report within six weeks. The commission observed that a high-level probe was required to ascertain negligence and errors, if any, so that such tragedies did not recur in future. The state government was directed to take utmost care to see that the families of the deceased were suitably compensated and the best treatment was given to the injured.

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who visited the site, termed the incident gory and saddening. “Our priority at this point is that The 1,550 mega watt (MW) coal-fuelled Unchahar plant supplies electricity to UP, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi and Uttarakhand. It is currently generating around

640 MW. A new 500 MW unit, where the explosion occurred, was commissioned in March this year.

The equipment for the plant was supplied by state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. A boiler is critical for running a power project as it converts water into steam, which is then used to turn the turbine blades to generate electricity. A boiler operates at high temperature with steam from it induced at different temperatures in low pressure turbines (around 160 degree centigrade), intermediate pressure turbines (around 280 degree As the process of ash removal began at about 3.15pm, the clinkers at the newly commissioned 500 MW unit fell down, choking the bottom ash outlet

With the clinkers choking the outlet, the pressure in the boiler went up, melting the water valves surrounding the boiler. This created a vent, with hot flue gases and proper treatment should be ensured for the injured. We stand by the families in their hour of grief,” he said.

Several political leaders visited the site, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who cut short his election campaign in Gujarat. “A judicial inquiry should be conducted into the incident. This is the demand of labourers. Forensic experts should also visit the site to col- lect samples and guilty should be punished,” Gandhi said after meeting the kin of the deceased.

Rae Bareli is the Lok Sabha constituency of Gandhi’s mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who could not visit the site as she is reportedly unwell. Rahul visited two private hospitals and the mortuary, apart from the accident site.

Two NTPC executives were on Thursday airlifted to Delhi for centigrade) and high pressure turbines (around 560 degree centigrade). While boiler-cleaning operations are automated, there are instances when it needs manual cleaning in the case of clinker formation. Clinkers are lumps formed after burning of coal at high temperature (around 1250 degree centigrade) in the furnace. steam at high temperature escaping. This got mixed with ash (around 200 degree centigrade) present and hurt personnel The blast caused a fire and a huge ball of hot dust engulfed many people. Due to the impact, people who were working there were thrown back a distance of 10-20 metres, an NTPC executive said. treatment. About 50 workers with more than 70% burns have already been shifted to different hospitals in Lucknow.

WORKERS PROTEST

Colleagues of the mishap victims continued to stage a protest at the NTPC gate, even though district magistrate Sanjay Khatri tried to pacify the largely contract labourers.

Recalling the incident, con- NTPC executives said workers were wearing safety belts and helmets. The belt keeps them tied to ensure they do not fall down from the platform where they work. This belt may have been a hindrance if the men wanted to run NTPC has ordered an investigation into the accident and police have registered a case. There is no permanent damage to the boiler. The unit has been shut, while the rest of the plant is operational. tract labourer Sohan Lal said: ”I had a spade in my hand and was working near the blast site. Suddenly, a very loud sound shook the plant, which soon got covered with a cloud of fumes. All I remember is bodies and body parts scattered all around.” Another worker said, “There was no proper channel for exit of ash and authorities forced completion of work in two years instead of four to get promotion.”