NTPC plant limps back to work

Security personnel remained on alert at the NTPC Unchahar plant three days after the boiler blast incident, which has claimed 31 lives so far.

On Saturday, workers except for those of the affected sixth unit of the thermal power plant arrived as usual for the morning shift from 8am.

Work in the sixth unit has been stalled from Wednesday evening after the boiler blast mishap, which occurred around 3.30pm and injured hundreds.

According to district magistrate, Rae Bareli, Sanjay Khatri, the situation had returned to normalcy at the plant and work as usual was under way except for the affected sixth unit where the mishap took place.

“I handed over compensation cheque of ₹2 lakh each to family members of three deceased on

Friday in Unchahar tehsil. The remaining compensation cheques would be disbursed today (Saturday),” he said.

Talking to Hindustan Times, SDM (Unchahar) Madan Kumar

said that of the nine workers hailing from Rae Bareli district killed in the blast, eight belonged to Unchahar tehsil.

“Of the eight killed in the mishap, the DM handed over three cheques to kin of deceased in Cheepiya and Tikaura village on Friday. I handed over compensation cheques to kin of three deceased today,” he said.

“One cheque is pending with me as the same has to be handed over to the family of deceased AGM Sanjiv Kumar Sharma. Sharma’s family has gone to Saharanpur after his death. One cheque is being prepared and would be disbursed tomorrow (Sunday),” he said.

According to ADM (J), Rae Bareli, Ram Abhilash, eight victims whose condition had turned critical were air-lifted from a trauma centre in Lucknow on Saturday while preparations for air-lifting three other patients from the same centre were underway currently.

One person, whose condition has improved satisfactorily, will be discharged from the centre later on Saturday, Ram Abhilash said.

ALLAHABAD: