Chhattisgarh boiler blast: Vedanta chief says operations and maintenance entrusted to NTPC-GE

'It was on the strength of this trust that we had confidently outsourced the plant’s operations and maintenance. And yet, this unfortunate tragedy occurred,' Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal said in a social media post.

New Delhi: Nearly two weeks after Chhattisgarh power plant blast killed 25 people, Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal on Monday said the entire responsibility for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the facility was entrusted with NGSL, a joint venture between power giant NTPC and GE.

"What weighs heavily on my mind is this: at our Athena plant, we had put in place the highest standards of safety. The entire responsibility was entrusted to NGSL, a partnership between NTPC and GE, among the most respected and trusted institutions in India. The contractors, the teams, the technical expertise, all were theirs.

"It was on the strength of this trust that we had confidently outsourced the plant’s operations and maintenance. And yet, this unfortunate tragedy occurred," Agarwal said in a social media post.

Drawing an analogy, he compared it to vehicle owners handing over their cars to trusted drivers, expecting them to follow rules and stay safe.

"It is a lot like a vehicle owner placing his trust in a capable and responsible driver, believing that both the vehicle and its passengers will remain safe. And still, sometimes, fate intervenes," Agarwal said.

"At Vedanta, safety is always our highest priority in every contract. The same commitment has been the cornerstone for NTPC and GE as well. And when such a tragedy happens despite all of this, it truly breaks your heart," he explained.

An explosion occurred in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta's power plant located in Singhitarai village of Chhattisgarh on April 14, killing 25 workers and leaving several persons with severe burn injuries.

Vedanta had earlier announced Rs 35 lakh compensation and employment support for kin of those killed in a boiler explosion and Rs 15 lakh for the injured.

The Chhattisgarh police registered an FIR against Agarwal and others in connection with the blast, an official had earlier said.

Industrialist Naveen Jindal later came out in support of the Chairman stating that the matter should first be investigated and responsibility should be established based on evidence.

A report by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Sakti also confirmed that the accumulation of fuel and the resulting excessive pressure were the primary causes of the explosion, the police statement had said.

During the investigation, it emerged that Vedanta company and its contractor NGSL (NTPC GE Power Services Limited) failed to properly adhere to maintenance and operational standards for machinery and equipment, the statement had said.