Sangareddy Officials Seek Early Declaration of Deaths in Sigachi Blast

Following the devastating explosion at Sigachi Industries in Sangareddy, authorities are pushing for a special exemption to declare eight missing workers legally dead, well before the standard seven-year waiting period. Additional Collector B Chandrashekar emphasized the extraordinary nature of the disaster and confirmed that the district administration would appeal to both the State and Central governments to expedite the declaration process.

On Wednesday, Chandrashekar handed over compensation cheques worth ₹15 lakh each to the families of the eight missing workers. Additionally, ₹10,000 was given to each family to support immediate travel and relocation needs. These payments were disbursed at the Pashamylaram industrial area, near the site of the blast.

Despite extensive rescue and recovery operations over the past ten days, only a few more human remains have been recovered recently. These remains have been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) for DNA testing to assist in identification. Chandrashekar noted that more than 100 personnel participated in the intensive debris combing operations daily.

The biometric attendance system confirmed that 143 workers were on duty during the incident, making it a major industrial tragedy. The Additional Collector also assured that affected families wishing to stay in government-run rehabilitation centres would be allowed to continue their stay.

Authorities hope that by securing legal death declarations sooner, the families can access insurance benefits and other compensations without further emotional and financial distress. The Sigachi blast has brought renewed attention to the need for stronger industrial safety protocols and faster relief mechanisms for victims of such rare but catastrophic incidents.