Hyderabad: Former minister T Harish Rao demanded that the state govt release 1 crore compensation to each victim of the Sigachi explosion without linking it to other benefits such as provident fund (PF). He alleged that the state govt had failed to support the families of the Sigachi Industries fire accident victims, in which 54 workers lost their lives, and said this had been exposed in the assembly.In a statement on Friday, Harish Rao said chief minister A Revanth Reddy, along with ministers Vivek and Damodar Rajanarsimha, who rushed to the accident site immediately after the incident, announced compensation of 1 crore to each family on the spot.He said the govt’s written reply in the assembly indicated that the promised compensation had not been delivered. Citing figures submitted, Harish said a total of 24.5 crore had been paid so far to all 54 victims, which he said worked out to an average of 45 lakh per worker’s family.Harish said this meant an alleged shortfall of about 55 lakh per family, amounting to an outstanding of 29 crore. He alleged that the Congress govt was attempting to evade payments and that affected families had been left without support. The former minister claimed that the management had admitted before courts to paying 40 lakh to 42 lakh, but that these figures were being shown by adding PF, ESI and life insurance amounts that were legally due to workers upon their deaths to the company’s own payment of 25 lakh.Harish said these amounts were not compensation from the company’s own funds but money belonging to workers through their contributions. He also alleged that medical expenses of workers who died while receiving treatment had been deducted from compensation, and said the families of eight workers, whose bodies were not found, had to approach offices for months for death certificates.Calling it a case of negligence, Harish said investigations had established that safety standards in the factory were not followed. He also alleged that while permission was obtained for 818 HP capacity, machinery was expanded to 1,777 HP, and claimed there were no safety guards, no fire NOC and that the dust control system was non-functional.He alleged that action against the management was not taken and said police moved only after a case was filed in the high court on behalf of victims. He referred to the arrest of the MD and said subsequent developments indicated an understanding between the government and the company management.Harish said that if the government was sincere it should attach the assets of Sigachi Company directors under the Revenue Recovery Act and ensure that the 1 crore compensation promised by the Chief Minister was paid immediately to affected families without deductions. He demanded that workers’ ESI and PF amounts not be shown as compensation and reiterated that 1 crore compensation should be released immediately to every affected family, independent of PF and ESI amounts.
