Hyderabad: BRS MLA and former minister T. Harish Rao has accused the Congress government of abandoning its commitment to pay ₹1 crore compensation to the families of those killed in the Sigachi Industries blast, four months after the tragedy.
In a public letter to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Thursday, Harish Rao said families of the 54 workers who died in the Pasamylaram explosion are still waiting for support. He reminded the CM that he had personally promised the compensation on June 30, standing at the site of the disaster.
“First, these families lost their breadwinners. Now they’re forced to suffer again this time, due to government neglect,” Harish Rao wrote. “Your administration has turned their tragedy into a public relations exercise.”
Sigachi compensation delay draws BRS protest threat
Harish Rao warned that the BRS will launch a statewide protest if the government fails to immediately clear the full ₹1 crore per family. So far, he said, each family has received only ₹26 lakh—₹25 lakh from the company and ₹1 lakh from the government. “That leaves ₹74 lakh unpaid. Is that not a betrayal of your word?” he asked.
He sharply criticised Labour Minister Ch. Malla Reddy for claiming that ₹40–50 lakh had already been paid. Rao called the inclusion of PF, ESI, and insurance amounts in compensation totals “inhuman and misleading.”
He added that even treatment costs for those who later died had been wrongly counted as part of compensation. “Injured workers are still paying out-of-pocket for care,” he said.
Harish Rao: Eight families still denied death certificates
Harish Rao also raised concerns about the eight workers whose bodies were never recovered. Despite CCTV and biometric evidence confirming their presence, the state has not issued death certificates.
“Three months ago, officials promised certificates. Now they’ve vanished,” he said. “Without them, families can’t access insurance or compensation.” He condemned the demand that families wait seven years under legal presumption rules. “Is that what your idea of humanity looks like?”
He further noted that the ₹2 lakh central ex-gratia has not been released, blaming the state government for failing to coordinate with Delhi.
“You politicised migrant deaths”: Harish Rao
Harish Rao accused the government of using migrant workers’ deaths for political mileage. “They waited here for three months, believing your words. Eventually, they left in tears,” he said.
He also said local families continue to roam between offices, unable to find answers. “Senior officials pass the blame to the company. Is this your version of public service?” he asked.
“Pay up, or these families’ pain will haunt your government”
In closing, Harish Rao said the CM’s initial display of sympathy now appears hollow. “Was your concern real or just for the cameras?” he asked. “You’ve surrendered to industrialists and abandoned your promises.”
“If you don’t pay what you promised, the pain of these families will not spare you or your government,” he warned.