Visakhapatnam: Even as the management of Vizag Steel Plant (VSP) remains tightlipped on the exact cause of the accident that killed eight workers and severely injured six, labour unions and former officials attribute it to a lack of technological discipline, ill-conceived operating procedures, and time pressure for production.
Political Response
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh, who visited the plant on Tuesday, stated that it was not appropriate to comment on the cause as a three-member expert panel is investigating the incident. The panel's report will pinpoint the cause of the tragedy.
Allegations by Former Officials and Unions
Former officials and worker unions allege that over the last three years, a large number of skilled and experienced workers were either transferred or forced to accept voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), while thousands of contract labourers were also removed. This resulted in a heavy burden on existing staff. They also allege the use of low-quality ferro alloys, which they claim could be the reason behind frequent mishaps at the plant.
Ironically, there was an accident in the same unit as recently as June 4, resulting in damage to equipment. No casualties occurred as no employees were at the site. Just four days later (June 8), another accident in the unit led to eight deaths.
Improper Operating Procedures
Union leaders alleged that improper operating procedures caused the accident in the steel melting shop (SMS) I and II. They said argon purging was stopped in the last three weeks. Purging in the SMS is the process of injecting inert gases into molten steel to homogenise temperature and chemistry, facilitate chemical reactions, and float out non-metallic inclusions. As this was not carried out, the molten metal from the ladle may have spilled over, they alleged.
Y Siva Sagara Rao, former CMD of Vizag Steel Plant, told TOI that he learned low-grade raw material was being purchased by the plant management. “Technical discipline should be there and proper SOP should be followed. But skilled and experienced employees are either opting for VRS or being transferred. The coke oven plant has almost been shut down in the last two years due to poor maintenance. It seems there is no one to review safety protocols. Safety standards must be reviewed periodically. The management has been implementing physical discipline but seems to have forgotten to maintain technological discipline,” he observed.
CITU leader K Ayodhya Ram alleged that the management has not been conducting argon purging. “We came to know that this process has not been conducted for the past 20 days. There was no pipe, which is used to send gas to ladle for the purging process, for the past few weeks, and the plant management did not look into this critical aspect. Without proper purging activity, the ladle should not be carrying hot metal,” he alleged.
Appa Rao, a senior employee in SMS-I unit who retired recently, told TOI that argon purging removes solid pieces in the liquid hot metal by sending oxygen through a pipe into the ladle. “If solid pieces are in the liquid metal, making blooms becomes difficult and they will not be in proper shape. The accident took place due to lack of operational procedure,” he said, adding that another accident occurred in the same SMS-1 on June 4 during night shift. “There were no casualties, but it should have been taken as a warning sign. Had that happened, maybe the eight precious lives could have been saved,” he added.
