Can Thermal power plants be less prudent?
The recent fire in Mettur Thermal Power Station is shot in the arm when Tamil Nadu, is in status of abject power stricken whereby the situation is miserably bad. If one argues that accidents are accidents, such loose talks become a favoured subject issues on ecology, human loss, safety mismanagement, become proven despite if at all one shrouds bad political will. Why calamities are guised as accidents, and authorities become wise and alert after a mishap to implement norms.
High-level team reviews cause of Mettur Thermal Power Plant - after the disaster
There is a good news from a high-level team of officials which reviewed the whole situation after the calamity, the Mr.Rajive Ranjan,Chairman, Mettur Thermal Power Plant, that the production would be resumed within a month.
The team also has formulated a "theory" that the high day temperatures happening past three days could have ignited the 'highly combustible' imported coal while it was being transported on the conveyor system, which was also damaged beyond repair, leading to the fire, says a reliable source. How the fire in Mettur Thermal Power Plant happened
One would surely wonder that how human genius would succumb to human negligence.
When such negligence is in heated debate in Kudangulam Nuclear plant, this is unfortunate what precisely had happened Thursday early morning in Mettur Thermal Power Station.
A major uncontrollable flame ravaged all four fully installed units of 210 MW, and reducing the capacity to mere 20.16MU. The fire burnt alive Nallathambi (55) an ill-fated man on duty also on the spot.
Four units, each one producing 210 MW, lost 840 MW while the coal conveyors were totally damaged in the catastrophe. Another shot in the arm in power thirsty Tamil Nadu made situation miserable. The steel girders those were at the peak of 50ft tumbled down just as molten lava, and 180 meter in length conveyor belts that would carry 14 tonne pulverized coal every day to the boilers, were totally reduced to ashes by strong fire.
Cause of such a sever accident is supposed of an intense heat generated which created an abrasion out of heavy friction underneath the conveyors, and that triggered great fire accident, and the time was 12.30am. The whole fire seized complete stream of powdered coal running on the entire length of conveyor, and in no time even a rubber belt 400 meter in length also was not spared but was caught under the blaze.
Bad shape of the Mettur Thermal Power Plant
The Mettur Plant which has been generating daily 20.16 MU, worth Rs.7.5 crores, and there is an apprehension that Tamil Nadu Electric Board will lose Rs.12.5 crores a day.
Valiant fire fighters
Fire Engines from Salem, four fire engines of Mettur Thermal Plant's were pressed in and were busy in extinguishing the killer fire. The fire fighters were immediately brought in and doused the inferno. Eight fire fighting engines with more than 50 strong fire men, who fought nearly five hours, though some of them caught in the debris were valiant and their jobs were reportedly perfect.
Men who suffered the brunt and burden
Adiyaman who suffocated in the melee was rushed to Mettur Government Hospital, and one Gopal who sustained with injuries was rushed to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital,according to news accessible.
Do public and private industries lack an intuitive vision
"No this cannot be", should be the good answer. When tragedies happen in a sensitive plants such as one in question, the common man raises his eye brows to ask a question whether an intuitive vision has been developed both in private and public sectors in equal terms where human life has to share the perilous stake, and the government should monitor a systemic and scientific methods inch by inch to save lives, properties that have to long last in fool-proof manner.
