HPCL blast: 4 months on, no disciplinary action

VISAKHAPATNAM: Though more than four months have elapsed since the deadly blast in one of the cooling towers of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)-Visakha Refinery that killed 28 persons, neither the Union petroleum ministry nor the state-run oil major has taken any disciplinary action against the people responsible for the blast.
Confirming this to mediapersons at a function organized to distribute compensation cheques to 15 out of the 27 dead contract workers here on Thursday at the HPCL Waltair Park, Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Panabaka Lakshmi said "The OISD (Oil Industry Safety Directorate) has not given any specific names (of those responsible for causing the accident).They have only given a report for the cause. The file is with (Veerappa) Moilyji. He has to take a decision."
When pointed out that the OISD had blamed the HPCL management for serious lapses in safety management, she said, "OISD has only submitted a report on the cause of the accident." However, at the compensation distribution programme, the minister said that HPCL will be taking up enhanced safety measures at its refineries in order to avoid such accidents from repeating in the future.
Earlier, the minister distributed compensation cheques to the tune of Rs 20 lakh to family members of 15 contract workers who were killed in the blast.
According to HPCL officials, the cheques were distributed to 15 out of the 27 dead contract workers as they were locals and the requisite legal paperwork was completed faster by the state government.
The kin of the lone HPCL employee Ch Murali also met the minister and pointed out that the promised ex gratia of Rs 1 crore was yet to be given to them, to which Panabaka Lakshmi gave an assurance that she would look into the issue. Speaking to TOI on the reason for the delay in handing over the cheques to the kin of the deceased from other states, HPCL-Visakha Refinery executive director VVR Narasimham clarified, "The question of not giving cheques doesn't arise. Our next work will be that we will simultaneously address outstation people and those with burn injuries. Unless all the legal paperwork is done properly, we can't issue the cheques."
Explaining the reason for the delay in issuing cheques to the family members of the 11 dead outstation contract workers, he said, "The issue is that we have to obtain proper nominee certificates from the respective state governments. That process is going on and will take some time, but we are working on it."
Speaking about the compensation to injured persons, he said, "Most of the injured were in hospital till recently. We recently got an assessment done. Now based on their scaling and actual disabilities, whether they can work or not, we will be issuing compensation."
Meanwhile, in a release, CPM state secretariat member Ch Narsinga Rao slammed the HPCL management and questioning the necessity of conducting a solemn function in such a grand manner.
"Instead of issuing the cheques at the earliest to the kin of the victims, HPCL waited for the arrival of ministers to distribute the compensation amid much fanfare. This shows the attitude of HPCL towards the families of the workers," he said.