The death toll from the tragic accident at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant has risen to nine following the demise of an employee named Pydiraju, who succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital. Amidst the somber atmosphere, the Andhra Pradesh government has initiated rapid relief measures. Keeping his word within 24 hours of visiting the grieving families alongside Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, IT Minister Nara Lokesh personally distributed ex-gratia checks of ₹25 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, reassuring them of the government’s unwavering support.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan detailed a comprehensive financial and welfare package for the affected families, announcing ₹25 lakh for the kin of the deceased and ₹10 lakh for the injured from the state government. Furthermore, the families of permanent employees will receive total benefits accumulating up to ₹1.72 crore, while contract workers’ families will receive ₹45 lakh. Irrespective of whether the victim was a permanent or contract worker, the government has guaranteed a permanent job to one family member and has committed to fully sponsoring the educational expenses of their children.
Meanwhile, a three-member committee appointed by the Union Steel Ministry, led by Bokaro SAIL Director Priyaranjan, has commenced a thorough investigation at the accident site and will spend another two days probing the root cause of the blast. Preliminary assessments indicate a staggering financial loss exceeding ₹120 crore for the steel plant, including approximately ₹100 crore due to a two-day production halt and ₹20 crore in machinery damage. While one machine in the SMS-1 unit remains non-functional, officials are currently working to restore partial production using the remaining five machines.
