BALCO tragedy: Nitish announces Rs. 1 lakh compensation

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday announced a compensation package of Rs. 1 lakh for the families of 17 workers, hailing from the State, who were killed when a chimney at an under-construction thermal power plant of the Bharat Aluminium Company Limited caved in at Korba, 220 km north-east of Raipur on Wednesday. According to reports, the death toll has mounted to more than 40 as Chhattisgarh authorities continued rescue operations and search for bodies under the debris. Of the 17 workers, 11 were from Chhapra and 6 from Siwan district, authorities said. The bodies of the workers are yet to be sent to Bihar. Official sent to Chhattisgarh The Bihar administration has also dispatched a senior official from the Labour Department to Chhattisgarh to probe the accident.