Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited announced ₹1.2 crore compensation on October 1 for the family of Manish Karkada, who died in a fire on September 30. Many contract workers protested, demanding relief for the victims. Meanwhile, the government started a high-level probe to find the reasons for the blast.
The Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited, on October 1, announced compensation of ₹1.2 crore to the family of 30-year-old contract employee Manish Karkada, who died in a fire in the unit on September 30, while a group of contract employees carried out a protest in front of the company's gate demanding adequate compensation to the deceased and other injured persons.
A two-member committee comprising Joint Director and Deputy Director of Department of Factories and Boilers visited the site of the accident on October 1 as part of the statutory inquiry. The condition of one person, who suffered 40% burn injury, continues to be critical.
During the visit of district In-charge Minister U.T. Khader to the mortuary in Wenlock Hospital on September 30 night to console the parents and family members of Mr. Karkada, several contract workers accused MRPL of negligence and demanded adequate compensation to all the victims.
Mr. Khader said the government of Karnataka stands with the families of the victims.
"Any compensation will not bring back the son of the parents. But we will take definite action to ensure necessary relief is given by the MRPL to family members of the deceased and of those injured, and also to residents whose houses were damaged due to the blast," the Minister said.
Karnataka's Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has ordered a high-level probe to find the reasons for the blast. This inquiry will be independent of the probe by the Central Government, he said.
The employees expressed their anguish to an MRPL official, who visited the mortuary.
The distraught father of Mr. Karkada, Alfred Vasant Kumar, said Manish and his twin brother Anish were working in the MRPL for the past six months. "On September 3- afternoon, the two were in the same shift. Anish left the place for lunch while Manish stayed back. Manish lost his life in the blast," Mr. Kumar said.
On September 30, a rupture in the cold separator operating at high pressure in the Coker Hydrotreater Unit in MRPL led to a fire around noon. MRPL's emergency response and firefighting teams put out the fire around 3 p.m. and found the charred body of Manish. A total of 12 persons sustained burns. One of them suffered 40% burns and is undergoing treatment in a private hospital. Two injured personnel were undergoing treatment in another private hospital while nine were discharged following treatment.
After receiving the body of Manish from the police, the family members carried out the last rites in Haleyangady.
Based on the complaint by Ravi Poojary, the Surathkal police registered a case against heads of the Coker Hydrotreater Unit and the MRPL for offences under Sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire), 125 (b) (rash and negligent act that endangers human life), and 106 (causing death of any person due to rash and negligent act) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.