NTPC blast toll rises to 30

The state government was directed to take utmost care to see that the families of the deceased were suitably compensated without any delay and that best treatment was provided to the injured persons.

Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who visited the accident site, termed the incident as gory and saddening.

“Our priority at this point in time is that proper treatment should be ensured to the injured persons. We stand by the families of those dead in their hour of grief,” he said.

Several political leaders visited the site, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who cut short his election campaigning 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 collect samples and guilty should be punished,” Gandhi said after meeting kin of those killed.

Rae Bareli is the Lok Sabha constituency of Gandhi’s mother, Congresspresi- dent Sonia Gandhi, who is reportedly unwell and cannot make it here. He visited two private hospitals and the mortuary, apart from the accident site.

Two NTPC executives were on Thursday airlifted to Delhi for treatment. About 50 workers with more than 70% burns have already been shifted to different hospitals in Lucknow.

WORKERSPROTEST 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.

A contract labour, Sohan Lal, realled the incident: ”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 workers claimed, “There was no proper channel for exit of ash and authorities forced completion of work in two years instead of four years to get promotion.”