High Court PIL Seeks Swift Probe, Compensation for Sigachi Victims

quick Summary:

• Incident: A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Telangana High Court about a chemical factory blast at Pashamylaram on June 30, resulting in 46 deaths, and eight workers reported missing.
• petitioner: Retired scientist Kalapala Baburao is seeking compensation for victims’ families and expedited inquiry into negligence claims.
• Worker Details: Most affected workers were migrants from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal earning ₹500-750 daily as casual laborers. Discrepancies were noted in the attendance data; while the company reported 143 workers on duty, other findings suggested there may have been 163 present.
• Safety Concerns: The company failed to recognize risks related to combustible dust (Microcrystalline Cellulose), a globally acknowledged explosible particulate. Authorities under factory regulations also reportedly missed safeguards against such hazards over three decades of inspections.
• Demands by Petitioner: Formation of a special investigation team, complete compensation for victim families, recognition of industrial dust hazards under Indian safety laws, immediate release of investigation reports from authorities such as the high-powered committee created after the blast.

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