Antony Waste Handling Cell Ltd. has announced the tragic deaths of nine employees after a natural calamity at its Waste-to-Energy plant in Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune, Maharashtra. The incident, which occurred due to incessant rains, involved a massive waste mound from an adjacent landfill collapsing onto the company's administrative building.
Incident Details and Impact
On Monday, the company provided an update confirming the fatalities. The initial incident, first reported on June 9, saw a waste mound outside the facility destabilize under continuous, exceptionally heavy rainfall. This led to its collapse onto the administration building, causing the structure to fall.
At the time of the collapse, 23 employees were present in the severely damaged administrative building. Antony Waste expressed profound sorrow, stating that the loss of each employee is deeply felt across the organization. As a precautionary measure, operations at the Waste-to-Energy plant have been temporarily suspended to allow for a comprehensive structural and safety assessment of the site.
Company Response and Support
Antony Waste has affirmed its full cooperation with all relevant authorities and committed to providing necessary support to the affected individuals and their families. The company's immediate priority is the welfare of those impacted, including injured staff receiving medical care and the families of the deceased.
Financial assistance of Rs 25,00,000 will be extended to each bereaved family. This support package includes ex-gratia payments from the company, along with benefits from applicable statutory welfare and insurance schemes, and the company's group insurance policy.
Furthermore, Antony Waste plans to offer employment to an immediate family member of each deceased employee where suitable. The company has also committed to covering the educational expenses for the minor children of all deceased employees.
Unaffected Services
Despite the severe impact on the Waste-to-Energy plant, Antony Waste confirmed that its municipal waste collection and transportation services remain unaffected, ensuring continuity in these essential operations.