Koyli blast: Value of damage yet to be ascertained

Even after five days of the explosion in the fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) at the Koyli refinery of IOC, the value of damage is yet to be ascertained.

Sudhir Sinha, Commissioner of Police for Vadodara, said: "The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team has briefed the police after the preliminary observations. The loss at the site can be easily estimated at about Rs 500 crore. However, it is early to state the exact figure as dismantling work is in progress."

The FSL team was in Vadodara for two days and collected metal pieces from the site for further test. The FSL officers have stated on Monday that the cause of explosion in FCCU was a blast in slurry settler tank.

B N Bankapur, executive director of the refinery, had stated that the loss would not be more Rs 5 crore. Moreover, the estimated time for restoration of plant as per the executive director and the FSL team also show disparity. Bankapur had stated on Monday that the plant will be restored within a month while the FSL team and the Commissioner of Police are of the opinion that IOC may have to opt for entire new plant altogether.

"Considering the intensity of the blast and debris of FCCU, the restoration of the plant seems almost impossible. IOC may have to opt for the entire new FCCU," said Sinha. As per the recent valuation made by one of the insurance companies IOC may have to shell out about Rs 315 crore to set up a FCCU.

Meanwhile, the police are waiting for the final report from the forensic team. IOC may find entangled in legal wrangles FSL's theory of the blast is confirmed.

"Police will file a case against IOC under IPC sections 304 (A) and 337 for negligent act resulting in death and rash and negligent act resulting hurt and injuries respectively. There will not be any need of human body evidence from debris to file a case under these sections. The police are waiting for the final report from FSL."

The police have posted personnel at the site to supervise the dismantling activities round the clock. Meanwhile, the neighboring villagers have planned a rally on Wednesday in Bajwa and Koyli to draw IOC's attention towards the missing workers. The villagers are agitated due to the loss of life of two contract workers in the company.

However, the IOC officers kept saying that the missing workers were not present in the IOC plant at the time of blast.