Outsourced ops, maintenance at Chhattisgarh power plant to NTPC GE Power Services: Vedanta Chairman

Mining billionaire Anil Agarwal on Monday appeared to shift responsibility for the boiler blast at his group Vedanta Ltd's Chhattisgarh power plant to NTPC GE Power Services, saying operations and maintenance had been outsourced to the firm. Vedanta Power said it has completed disbursal of compensation to all victims' families. Twenty-five people were killed and several others were injured in a blast at Vedanta's power plant in Chhattisgarh on April 14. The Chhattisgarh police registered an FIR against Agarwal and others in connection with the blast. ''What weighs heavily on my mind is this: at our Athena plant, we had put in place the highest standards of safety. The entire responsibility was entrusted to NGSL, a partnership between NTPC and GE, among the most respected and trusted institutions in India. The contractors, the teams, the technical expertise, were all theirs. ''It was on the strength of this trust that we had confidently outsourced the plant's operations and maintenance. And yet, this unfortunate tragedy occurred,'' Agarwal, Vedanta Chairman, said in a social media post. Drawing an analogy, he compared it to vehicle owners handing over their cars to trusted drivers, expecting them to follow rules and stay safe. ''It is a lot like a vehicle owner placing his trust in a capable and responsible driver, believing that both the vehicle and its passengers will remain safe. And still, sometimes, fate intervenes,'' Agarwal said. ''At Vedanta, safety is always our highest priority in every contract. The same commitment has been the cornerstone for NTPC and GE as well. And when such a tragedy happens despite all of this, it truly breaks your heart,'' he explained. NTPC did not comment on the remarks by the Vedanta chairman. An explosion occurred in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta's power plant located in Singhitarai village of Chhattisgarh on April 14, killing 25 workers and leaving several persons with severe burn injuries. In a statement, Vedanta Power said it has completed the disbursement of compensation to families of those killed and injured in a boiler-related incident at its power plant in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, and reaffirmed its commitment to providing continued support to those affected. The company said it has provided financial assistance of Rs 35 lakh each to the families of the deceased, while Rs 15 lakh has been disbursed to those injured. ''The compensation has already been released to all 35 affected individuals and families,'' the company said. Vedanta Power said it is also exploring employment opportunities for the deceased's family members and will support education of their children up to Class 12. Skill development opportunities will be extended through its training centres to enhance the employability of dependents, the company said. ''We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives in this tragic incident. Our thoughts remain with the bereaved families, and we are committed to supporting them in every possible way,'' Vedanta Power CEO Rajinder Singh Ahuja said. The company said its immediate response included securing the site, halting operations, and activating emergency protocols. Injured workers were shifted to hospitals in Raigarh, Kharsia, and Raipur with the support of local authorities and emergency services. Vedanta Power has constituted a central crisis management team to coordinate relief efforts and said it is ensuring full medical care, continuation of salaries for the injured, counselling support, and logistical assistance, including accommodation for family members. It has also set up an around-the-clock helpline, 'Vedanta Samvedna Kendra', to assist affected families and provide regular updates. The company said it is extending full cooperation to regulatory and investigating authorities to ascertain the cause of the incident. Vedanta Power expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and said it remains committed to addressing the situation with transparency and responsibility while focusing on long-term rehabilitation and support.

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