Six killed in NLC India's boiler explosion in Tamil Nadu
Neyveli (TN): A boiler exploded at NLC India's thermal plant here killing six people and leaving 17 others injured on Wednesday and it has been shut for safety audit, the company said.
An official has been suspended and a high level inquiry and an internal probe has been ordered, the company said.
The six deceased men were aged between 25 and 42, and at least seven injured men have sustained over 50 per cent burns according to an initial assessment, an official told PTI.
The mishap occurred at the fifth unit of the thermal power station-II when workers were in the process of resuming operations which includes maintenance work following a shutdown, the official said.
A fire broke out in the boiler area subsequent to the explosion resulting in injuries to a maintenance team, comprising an executive, two supervisors, three non-executive employees and 17 contract workers, NLC India, formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited, said in a statement.
Of the 23 men who were on the spot, six contract workers died on the spot, 16 were rushed to a hospital in Chennai for "further higher speciality treatment" and a man with minor injuries was being treated in the NLC hospital, the company said.
"A high level enquiry headed by P K Mohapatra, retired director (technical), NTPC has been ordered into the cause of the accident apart from an internal enquiry committee with senior executives headed by director (power) of NLC India.
The unit head of thermal power station-II has been placed under suspension pending enquiry by the management."
All the 210 MW units of the thermal power station-II, have been "ordered for shut down for immediate safety audit," Chief General Manager(PR), S Gurusamynathan said.
The mishap is the second within two months in the NLC's same plant.
On May 7, a boiler explosion at the sixth unit of the Thermal Power Station-II (TPS-II) injured eight men and in about 20 days, five of them, who had sustained severe burns and admitted at a hospital in Tiruchirappalli, died.
Home Minister Amit Shah, expressing anguish over the loss of lives, spoke to Chief Minister K Palaniswami and assured him of all possible help.
The Home Minister said on his twitter handle: "Anguished to learn about the loss of lives due to a blast at Neyveli power plant boiler in Tamil Nadu.
Have spoken to @CMOTamilNadu and assured all possible help. @CISF HQrs is already on the spot to assist the relief work. Praying for the earliest recovery of those injured."
Governor Banwarilal Purhoit and Chief Minister K Palaniswami condoled the deaths and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Palaniswami announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh to the families of each of the six workers who were killed and an assistance of Rs one lakh and Rs 50,000 to those who suffered serious and mild injuries respectively.
Political party leaders in Tamil Nadu condoled the deathsand raised questions over safety measures in the public sector enterprise, a 'navratna' company.
MDMK general secretary, Vaiko, recalling the past mishaps, said a technical committee should be set up by the Centre to prevent accidents.
"The continuing mishaps underscore the need for proper supervision to ensure proper maintenance work," Vaiko said in a statement and sought Rs 25 lakh solatium to the bereaved families and a permanent job in the NLC for their kin.
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss alleged that improper maintenance was the reason behind the back to back explosions.
Had "safety audit been conducted," the mishap could have been prevented, he said.
The first three units of TPS-II were 34 years old and the next three 29 year old, he claimed, adding the operational life time of a unit was only 30 years and still the NLC management has "not come forward" to refurbish it to extend its lifetime.
Ramadoss demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of those killed and Rs 50 lakh to those injured in addition to world class treatment.
CPI State secretary R Mutharasan claimed allegations have surfaced that "negligence" was behind continuing mishaps and demanded that the Central government order a probe.
Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary T T V Dhinakaran said the management should take appropriate action at least now after repeat mishaps to prevent loss of lives.
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South zone finalists announced at WAVES VFX challenge in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The South Zone round of the WAVES VFX Challenge took place today in Bengaluru, organized by the Association of Bangalore Animation Industry (ABAI).
The day-long competition brought together talented participants from across southern India, with the goal of selecting top finalists who will go on to represent the region at the national finals next month during the WAVES Summit in Mumbai.
Finalists were selected in three categories:
Student Category
Winner: Soumya Das
Runner-up: Gagan HP
Professional Category
Winner: Mohamad Javeed
Runner-up: S Sai Chandan
Enthusiasts Category
Winner: Gagan Ajai
Over 1,500 entries were received from students, working professionals, and VFX enthusiasts, all centered around the theme “Super Hero Power.” Out of these, 14 entries were shortlisted to compete in today’s final round. One winner and one runner-up from each category were chosen to represent the South Zone in Mumbai.
ABAI Secretary R.K. Chand appreciated the strong participation and encouraged industry professionals to attend the Mumbai summit, which will host well-known personalities from films, advertising, and creative sectors. He also mentioned that the WAVES Challenge was recently launched in Bengaluru by Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Sagar Gulati, Director of the School of Creative Design and Information Technology at Jain (Deemed-to-be University), the zonal partner for the competition.
The day also featured two special sessions led by industry experts. Vijay Selvam from the global VFX studio MPC held a masterclass titled “Concept Reality,” where he discussed lighting, animation, compositing, and photorealistic effects. Students got the chance to interact with him during a Q&A session.
Another session was conducted by Rakesh H, Lead Head at The Mill, who spoke about how visual effects are used in advertising. Nearly 100 students attended these sessions, gaining valuable industry insights and learning opportunities.
