National
Five dead in Cochin Shipyard tanker blast, probe ordered (Second Lead)
Kochi, Feb 13 (IANS) Five persons died and several others were injured in a blast inside the water ballast of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) tanker ship Sagar Bhushan at the Cochin Shipyard here in Kerala on Tuesday.
The Cochin Shipyard management announced a probe by an internal committee.
The blast occurred at around 9.45 a.m. Nine workers were engaged in welding inside the water ballast when the blast occurred, killing five of them, while four were injured. Of the four, the condition of one worker is serious with 45 per cent burns and he is on ventilator support. The condition of the other three is not that serious, officials said.
Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Madhu S. Nair announced an immediate ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased.
An official statement said that all treatment expenses of the injured will be met by the company as per its existing policies.
“All necessary assistance is being provided by the company to those affected, and the entire senior leadership is monitoring the process. Senior civil and police officials are on the ground and appropriate actions is being taken,” it said.
The tanker ship has dry-docked at the Cochin Shipyard for a month for repairs and maintenance. All the dead are from Kerala.
About 10 workers who were engaged in works away from the water ballast suffered small injuries when splinters from the blast hit them.
Those working on the tanker during the blast included mostly daily wagers and contract workers since Tuesday is a holiday for regular shipyard workers.
Shipyard CMD Nair told the media about the internal probe committee.
“Since we come under the Factories and Broilers Department, their officials will come, besides those from the Director General of Shipping to find out what happened. We do follow stringent safety practices and even today morning (Tuesday), as per the safety protocols, the amount of gas in the water ballast was checked,” he said.
“Since there was a loud noise, there may be a chance that gas got consolidated in the water ballast since welding is done using two different gases. Every aspect will be probed and all expenses on injured workers met by us,” he said.
In a statement, ONGC said “The cause of the incident is being ascertained.”
A ballast tank is a compartment within a ship or other floating structure that holds water to provide stability to the vessel.
Kochi City Police Commissioner M.P. Dinesh told the media: “The dead include some who apparently choked on smoke after the explosion.”
He also said that a probe had been ordered.
A trade union leader present at a private hospital here said nine injured workers were admitted there.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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