CM announces ex-gratia for victims' kin

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB. 26. The death roll in Sunday's freak blast in a kiln for making utensils in Karimnagar town has risen to nine with Anjum Begum (40), wife of Armed Reserve head constable, Mohd. Yusuf, succumbing to burns in hospital today.

Yusuf, who is alleged to have brought the metallic substance to the kiln resulting in the explosion, is battling for life at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), where he is being treated for 90 per cent burns. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, visited NIMS in the morning and called on the injured persons, most of whom were children watching the melting of old utensils. Two of the injured are suffering from 80 per cent burns while four-year- old Altaf is among those lying in a serious condition.

Later, Mr. Naidu announced in the Assembly that ex- gratia of Rs. 1 lakh each would be paid to the families of the adults killed in the explosion and Rs. 50,000 each to children. He said since most children belonged to two families, the Government would deposit the money in a trust to take care of their education.

He said the head constable told him that Sheik Babu (50), owner of the kiln, was melting some metal which he had brought when there was a huge blast at around 2 p.m. Sheik Babu died instantaneously while several children standing around were either killed or seriously injured.

The Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said the Collector reached the spot only at 9 p.m. while the Joint Collector and RDO did not even bother to visit the place. Moreover, the local hospital authorities refused to provide an ambulance to shift the injured persons to Hyderabad.

The Chief Minister, while stating that the local Minister and the Collector received information about the mishap very late, agreed that the administration should respond immediately in such emergencies. However, the local TDP legislator and two Congress MLAs rushed to the spot.

Mr. Naidu said the Government would set up a mechanism in districts to strictly monitor the source of all explosive material, including gelatin sticks. The Centre, he said, had turned down a request of the State Government to have a one- minute delay mechanism in explosive substances at the manufacturing stage itself.

Earlier, making a suo motu statement on the mishap, the Home Minister, Mr. T. Devender Goud, said the police reached the spot immediately and shifted the injured to hospitals besides pressing a dog squad and forensic science experts into service.

According to a report from Karimnagar, the Warangal range Inspector-General of Police, Dr. D.T. Nayak, ruled out sabotage in the explosion. The IG, who visited the spot and the Government Civil Hospital where two children were undergoing treatment, told newsmen that the situation and the residents' involvement in the making of crude utensils indicated that it was an accident.

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