Sangareddy: Kin of Sigachi blast victims await compensation even after a month

A month after the deadly blast at Sigachi Industries, families of the 46 deceased and 8 missing workers are still awaiting compensation. Despite promises of Rs. 1 crore ex gratia, most have received only minimal funeral aid from authorities

Sangareddy: Even a month after the blast at Sigachi Industries, the kin of the deceased and victims continue to go from one office to another, from the blast site and the Industrial Local Area (ILA) office in Pashamylaram to the Isnapur municipal office and Sangareddy Collectorate, in search of the ex gratia promised to them and essential documents like death certificates.

The Sigachi management had initially promised Rs. 1 crore as ex gratia to the families of the 46 deceased and eight untraced workers, and Rs. 10 lakh each to the injured, to be paid within a fortnight. However, the compensation has allegedly not reached the families. Most have only received Rs. 1 lakh each from the Sangareddy district administration, meant for funeral expenses.

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When Telangana Today visited the blast site on Wednesday, exactly one month after the incident, the kin of deceased worker Laxmi Mukhiya from Bihar were seen examining the area and recalling the trauma they experienced that day. Mukhiya’s wife Radhika Kumari and their four-year-old daughter Indu Devi were seen weeping inconsolably.

Mukhiya’s younger brother, Laxman, said the deceased worker had three children, all aged below eight, and that no one was left to care for them. He appealed to the Sigachi management to provide permanent employment to his sister-in-law so she could support the children. The family has received Rs. 25 lakh so far, against the Rs. 1 crore promised.

Similarly, the family of Chikhan Singh, a native of Madhya Pradesh, was also seen enquiring about the compensation process. They have received only Rs. 1 lakh, also towards funeral expenses. Singh too had three children and a wife. His family urged the government to release the full ex gratia amount in a single instalment.

Their story mirrors that of many others — families who have received only the minimal funeral aid. Meanwhile, relatives of S Justin, whose body remains untraced, were spotted at the ILA office in Pashamylaram on Wednesday.

There is still no clarity from the company on when the compensation will be paid. Many family members are also visiting government offices to obtain death certificates, crucial for accessing various welfare benefits. But with no support mechanism in place at the ILA office, they are left with little help from either the district administration or the company’s management.