2 more arrest in Balco Chimney disaster case

     Korba, February 13, 2010: Korba Police today arrested two more officials of the private company GDCL in connection with the collapse of the giant Chimney of the Vedanta group of companies, in which 40 labourers were killed and scored injured on September 23.

     Korba SP Ratan Lal Dangi told ChhattisgarhTopNews.Com that the police has arrested two officers of GDCL, Sunil Singh and Alok Verma today and a local court sent them to judicial remand.

    Both the officials were absconding after the chimney collapsed on September 23, the SP said.

     With today’s arrest, three officials each from VEDANTA, SEPCO and GDCL have been arrested in connection with the disaster.

     Chinese group Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation (SEPCO) bagged the contract to construct a 275 metre long chimney of the 1200 Mega Watt Power plant of the Indian subsidiary of the Vedanta at Korba.

     However, SEPCO appointed Gannon Dunkerley and Company Limited (GDCL) to construct the chimney for BALCO and during construction the partially built chimney collapsed on September 23, burying labourers under tonnes of concrete at Korba.