36 bodies recovered, CM unhappy with BALCO management

     Korba, September 24, 2009: Chhattisgarh Chief minister Dr Raman Singh today expressed his strong displeasure over the lukewarm response given by the BALCO management to the rescue and relief work, even as 36 bodies were recovered from the site, where a 178 metre Chimney was collapsed yesterday.

    The Chief Minister, taking the matter seriously, flew from Raipur today to have first hand information about the rescue and relief operation.

     Singh also took notice of the missing of the BALCO management from the accident site and said absence of any official or management persons from the accident site for a longer period, even after a serious accident, was a matter of great concern.

     However, his Government had accorded top priority to the rescue and relief work, the Chief Minister said adding the state was giving Rs one lakh to the family of the deceased and all medical facilities to the injured and the BALCO management should come forward and made some announcements.

     A judicial probe had already been ordered and the persons responsible for the incident would never be spared, he declared.

     Meanwhile, agitating workers have reportedly manhandled the Chief Executive Officer of BALCO Gunjan Gupta and another Director for coming to the accident site after 24 hours of the incident.

     Immediate police intervention had averted a major incident, police officials said.

     Meanwhile, bodies of 36 workers have been retrieved from the debris of the Chimney of the 1200 MW power plant of BALCO, which collapsed yesterday at BALCO Nagar in Korba District.

     From the debris mutilated bodies are being recovered, and that was creating problem in counting as complete bodies would have made the counting easier, locals said.