Acid plant of Travancore Titanium factory that collapsed on Friday.  (Express photo)
Acid plant of Travancore Titanium factory that collapsed on Friday. (Express photo)

Thiruvananthapuram: 1 killed as portion of new titanium plant's chimney collapses

The deceased identified as Hareendran was rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 55-year-old employee of Travancore Titanium Products Limited was killed and another seriously injured, after a portion of a newly built plant on the premises of the factory at Veli, collapsed on Friday morning.

The deceased has been identified as Hareendran. He was a native of Kannur district.

The injured employee, Sarosh (28), is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Government Medical College Hospital. He is a native of Kochuveli.

The incident happened at around 8.30 am. Four employees were working near the newly built acid neutralization plant. Suddenly, the portion of the plant, containing its chimney, fell down and the four got trapped beneath the debris.

However, two managed to escape without injuries.

Subsequently, three units of Fire and Rescue services from Chackai unit were pressed into service to carry out rescue operations.

Later, the city police came to the spot and verified if the accident was a result of any negligence on the part of the contractor who built the plant.

The plant has been shut down temporarily.

Arul R B Krishna, deputy commissioner of police, said a probe has been ordered into the incident. The probing team will ascertain if there were any lapses on the part of the company.

" We have initiated the fire and safety department and the PWD. They will check the structural stability of the plant and give a report so as to check whether the plant collapsed due to lack of safety measures", he said.

The titanium dioxide plant located at Veli in Kerala's capital city has been facing flak from the local residents for pumping out effluents in the form of sulphuric acid into the Arabian Sea.

A few years ago, the Vigilance Department conducted an inquiry into alleged corruption in the setting up of the effluent treatment plant.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had ordered its closure in May, citing the absence of an effective effluent treatment plant. However, the plant was later allowed to function, based on the company's appeal and a report submitted by the State Pollution Control Board.

Travancore Titanium Products Limited is a leading manufacturer of anatase grade titanium dioxide in India.

The company was incorporated in 1946 in the capital on the initiative of the then Travancore King, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.

The company's main product is the pigment grade titanium dioxide,  extracted from ilmenite. Beaches of Kolam, 65 km north of Thiruvananthapuram, have abundant deposits of ilmenite. The substance, a mixture of titanium dioxide and iron in the form of ferric/ferrous oxide, is treated with Sulphuric Acid to get Titanium dioxide and ferrous sulphate.

In 1960 Government of Kerala took over the management of the Company. Now the administrative control is vested with the Department of Industries, Government of Kerala.

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