Lok Sabha Question No. 2278 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-08
Subject: Incident of Fire at Cochin Shipyard
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., ANWHAR RAAJHAA, K. C. VENUGOPAL, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, SAUGATA ROY, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, SUDHEER GUPTA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY  OF SHIPPING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2278 TO BE ANSWERED ON 8th MARCH, 2018 INCIDENT OF FIRE AT COCHIN SH!PYARD

2278. SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR: SHRI A. ANWHAR  RAAJHAA: SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL: SHRI T.RADHAKRTSHNAN: PROF. SAUGATA ROY: SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH: SHRI NARANBHAI  KACHHADIYA: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

WilltheMinisterofSH|PPINGbepleasedtostate:

## fdqffrq.Frd*

- (a) whether a major fire accident/explosion  at the cochin  shipyard/cochin  Port 'n Kerala haPPened recentlY;
- (c) the details of compensation  paid/being  paid to the injured and the family of deceased Persons;
- (b) if so, the details thereof atong with the details of loss of lives and material rePorted therein;
- (d) whether the Government  has instituted any inquiry into the matter; and
- (e) the measuiei tafenlbeing  taken by the Government to ensure safety at various shipyards  particularly in Kochi inctuoing  the ships anchored at these shipyards inciuOing  ti're safety of employees/contractual  workers?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SHIPPING (sHRl PoN RADHAKRISHNAN)

- (a) Yes, Madam.
- (b) A fire accidcnt occurred in Cochin Shipyard I'td (CSL) on 1310212A18 at around og12 hrs in a mobile offshorc rlrilling unit named  "sagar  I]hushan"  of Oil ancl Natural Gas Corporation  (ONGC), which was undcrgoing  dry dock rt:pairs at cSL. As per thc prcliminary asscssmcnt,  the accidcnt was caused by a momentary explosion  of high impact in the air conditioner  compartment lf the forward area undcr living quarters  of the vessel, where therc was a suspected acetylene gas leak. Ii'ive lives wcre lost as a result of this incident and thcir details  are: (1) Shri Unnikrishnan  CS, Scnior Irireman (permancnt  emploV':e)  (2) Shri vevin Reji, safcty Assistant (csl direct contract)  (3) Shri Jayan K T)' Gt:neral Contract  Workman 1trir.  watching) (con1.r:actor's workman)  (a) Shri Kannan  M V

General Contract  Workman  (I|atrrication) (contractor's workman);  ancl (S) Shri Ramshad M M, Contract Worker Supervisor  (contractor's workman). Regarding loss of material,  thc prelimina.ry  invesl.igal.ion has found the damage to be irr the local area in the intcrior part of the ship and would need a detailed assessrnent to asccrtain the timc and cost needed to restore the same. Thcre is no darnage to the exterior par1. of the ship or any shipyard infrastructure.

(c) The details of compensation  paid/bcing paid to the injured and the family of dcceased persons  are as follows : (Al  for  tie'd.ecea.serd: (i) to the family, kl.s. I6 Lakhs, in addition l.o the statutory  compensation  ,rrd i.rsurance  relicf as applicable to them; (ii) appropriatc  employment on compassionate  grounris to any eligible dependant  of the clcccasect;  (iii) appropriate linanciat  aid towartjs  the education of the children of the dcccased, ,p  to and including  graduate level; and (iv) to enahle the families to defray the expenses related to the funeral ancl other rituals, Rs.25,O0o/- disbursed on the day itself and (fl)  for  the injurerl: (i) all treatment expenses  incurrecl for the injuicd; (ii) amount cquivalent to 2 months normal wages to the injured disbursed  immeiliately;  and  liiiy  in addition to the statutory compensation  relief, Company to disbur*.-*rg""'to the injurcd till they return to work.

(d) A high level cnquiry into the incident was orclered by the Chairman ancl Managing I)irector, OSL, undcr the Chairmanship of Director (Operations)  of CSL' An enquiry was also ordcred by Iractories and Iloilers l)irectorate,  Go.,,t. of Kerala. The sl-ate police  arc also invcstigating  the incident. Apart from this, based on a request from ONGC, l)irector (l:)xploration  and Pioduction),  Offshore Industry Safcty Dircctoral.c,  also visited, inspectcd  and recorded his findinp;s.

(e) l3ased  on thc {indings of the preliminary  cnquiry,  a set of immediate actjons has been takcn and furth". "yit"mic imirovem"nt",  if any required,  will also be implementcd  on completion of the enquiry  ancl receipt of investigztion reporl-s.