Over 1,500 join ‘Whitathon' walk for childhood eye cancer awareness
The event, organised in observance of World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week (May 11 to 17), was flagged off at T-Works, Raidurgam by Y Nagi Reddy, Director General of Disaster Response and Fire Services, Telangana. He was joined by Prashant Garg, executive chairman of LVPEI, and Vijay Anand Reddy, director of Apollo Cancer Hospital.
Proceeds from the run will go towards providing free treatment to underprivileged children diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, as well as supporting ongoing research in the field, said a release.
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The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Sankara Nethralaya pays tribute to Dr. Namperumalsamy
At the 31st Annual Meeting of ARVO-INDIA, a forum where eye researchers from across the country gather to present research and share expertise held at Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai, a swatch of time was taken to recall memories of, and honour the legacy of a visionary in the field of ophthalmology, P. Namperumalsamy. 'Dr. Nam', as he was fondly known, was chairman-emeritus of Madurai-based Aravind Eye Hospital. He died on Thursday (July 25, 2025) at the age of 85. Recalling memories, T. Surendran, chairman, Sankara Nethralaya, spoke of his first meetings with Dr. Nam at workshops at Aravind Eye Hospital and of his simple, unassuming personality. 'His association with Sankara Nethralaya dates back to its inception,' he said and added that they hoped to ensure his legacy endured. Gullapalli N. Rao, founder, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, said that he had known Dr. Nam for nearly 60 years, and his wife G. Nachiar, for even longer. Recalling him as a simple, humble, and informal person, Dr. Rao said that he had learnt a lot from Dr. Nam's experiences. 'His contribution [to Aravind Eye Hospital] was the creation of strong sub-specialities and training programmes. He also created the research centre,' Dr. Rao said, adding that Dr. Nam had fought with the management to keep research funded and had constantly advocated for research. The two doctors then signed a condolence card, and all delegates at the conference who wished to sign it were asked to do so, with the card to be sent to Aravind Eye Hospital subsequently, organisers of the event said.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Time of India
Telangana factory blast: Sigachi accident deadliest to hit India's pharma sector in 100 years; NDRF terms it 'most challenging'
HYDERABAD: The Sigachi Industries blast in Sangareddy is the worst disaster to have rocked India's pharma manufacturing sector in its over 100-year history in terms of fatalities. Such was the impact of the blast that it not only knocked down the factory but also resulted in damages to factories located next door, including shattered glass, industry sources said. Till Monday, the blast and fire at Escientia Bio Pharma Ltd's factory at Anakapalli in Andhra Pradesh (AP) on August 21, 2024, which left 17 people dead, was counted as the worst incident to have hit the industry. In 2023, a blast had rocked the Atchutapuram plant of Sahiti Pharma in AP and left behind seven fatalities. In Dec 2022, four employees had died at Laurus Labs' facility at Visakhapatnam. "In my 35 years of experience as a regulator as well as former director general of Pharmexcil (Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India), I have never come across a pharma manufacturing accident with such a huge death toll. This has to be the largest pharma disaster in the country till date," Ravi Udaya Bhaskar, director general, All India Drugs Control Officers Confederation told TOI. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Rescue efforts inadequate: Kin of missing staff Around 200 personnel from fire services, SDRF, along with 30 NDRF personnel, have conducted a comprehensive search of the wreckage. They have found no trace of any missing persons, said Y Nagi Reddy, director general, Telangana state fire services and disaster response. He added: 'The company management claims that only five are missing. It could be the missing workers did not report to work on Monday or were not on campus at the time of the accident. We are verifying their whereabouts.' Authorities are also not ruling out the possibility that the missing persons could be among the dead who had not been identified as yet. By Tuesday evening, identity of 14 bodies had been confirmed at the govt area hospital in Patancheru. Blood samples of the remaining were sent for DNA profiling to the forensic science laboratory to establish their identity, as they have been burnt beyond recognition. Challenging operation, say NDRF teams 'Both National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are still working at the site to clear the debris and hazardous material,' said Damodar Singh, assistant commandant (Telangana region) with NDRF, adding how the operation has been one of the most challenging rescue missions undertaken in the state. 'Our teams employed cutting equipment to break down the debris into smaller bits before clearing it with JCBs. The most demanding aspect is careful removal of debris while recovering bodies. It might take another day to completely clear out the debris and recover bodies that may have been trapped beneath the debris,' he said. NDRF officials also explained how the presence of hazardous substances hindered their operation, as the material caused metallic flames. 'The factory's 'pancake-style' collapse (where a building collapses floor by floor) has resulted in continuous flames erupting from under the wreckage,' said a senior official from NDRF. The kin of missing workers, however, claimed that the rescue efforts were inadequate. They alleged that the equipment and workforce at the location were insufficient, resulting in prolonged delays in retrieving the bodies. 'Authorities deployed only two JCBs which are not enough to locate so many missing people,' said K Sujatha, relative of a 22-year-old youth who is still missing. 'We visited four different hospitals too to verify if he was receiving treatment or was sent for post-mortem, but in vain.' Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
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First Post
01-07-2025
- First Post
Telangana pharma factory blast: What caused the explosion that killed 42 people?
A powerful explosion at Sigachi Industries in Telangana's Sangareddy district killed at least 42 people and injured dozens of others on Monday. As per preliminary investigations, a sudden pressure build-up inside a spray-drying unit may have caused the massive explosion, leading to the collapse of a three-storey building read more The blast, which triggered the collapse of a three-storey building at Sigachi Industries Limited in the Pashamylaram industrial area, has become one of the worst industrial accidents the state has seen in recent years. PTI A powerful explosion tore through a pharmaceutical factory in Telangana's Sangareddy district on Monday morning, leaving at least 42 people dead and many others injured. The blast, which triggered the collapse of a three-storey building at Sigachi Industries Limited in the Pashamylaram industrial area, around 50 km from Hyderabad, has become one of the worst industrial accidents the state has seen in recent years. Rescue teams are still combing through the debris, and officials fear the death toll may rise further as more bodies are recovered from the rubble. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As the investigation begins, the Telangana government has appointed a committee to look into what caused the deadly blast and whether safety lapses were involved. Here's what we know so far. What triggered the deadly blast at the Telangana chemical factory? Preliminary investigations suggest that a sudden pressure build-up inside a spray-drying unit may have caused the massive explosion at the Sigachi Industries factory. Y Nagi Reddy, Director General of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), told The News Minute that the blast occurred in the factory's Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) drying unit. MCC is a refined, partially broken-down form of cellulose derived from fibrous plant material like wood pulp. It's widely used in the pharmaceutical industry as a key excipient in tablets and supplements. It also finds use as a bulking agent in food production. The spray dryer, where the explosion reportedly happened, is a machine that converts a liquid or slurry into a dry powder by spraying it into a stream of hot gas. Since this process generates extremely high temperatures, a blow air handler is used to control the heat and airflow within the system. The impact was so severe that the entire three-storey building came crashing down in seconds. Telangana chemical factory blast: An injured being taken for treatment after an explosion at a pharma plant, at Pashamylaram. PTI Sigachi Industries Ltd (SIL), one of the world's largest manufacturers of Microcrystalline Cellulose, operates three facilities across Telangana and Gujarat. The Pashamylaram unit, where the explosion occurred, has been operational for nearly 40 years. Spread over four acres, it houses four separate production blocks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, experts believe the blow air handler may not have been properly cleaned or maintained, leading to a dangerous rise in temperature. According to a report by IANS, officials say this overheating may have pushed temperatures as high as 700 to 800 degrees Celsius, far beyond safe limits, causing the explosion. This tragedy is not isolated. In the past 30 months, Telangana has seen at least 10 major blasts in industrial areas like Pashamylaram and Patancheru. Poor maintenance and a shortage of skilled operators are said to be the underlying reasons. In December, this very Sigachi plant cleared a safety check by the factory's department. But after Monday's blast, it has been shut down indefinitely. 'Blast so intense, workers fell down 100 m away' Eyewitnesses described the sheer force of the explosion as terrifying. Many workers were thrown off their feet, some hurled far from the blast site. 'Workers were tossed into the air and thrown several metres away,' people at the scene told South First. On Monday, Telangana Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha said around 90 workers were inside the unit when the explosion took place. Quoting survivors, he said, 'The explosion blew up the industrial shed completely, and the force of the blast was so intense that some of the workers were thrown up in the air and landed about 100 metres away.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD VIDEO | Telangana: A massive explosion at Sigachi Chemical Industry in Pashamilaram, Sangareddy district, has resulted in several deaths and serious injuries. The blast threw workers up to 100 meters away, trapping many in nearby tents as fires continued to rage. Firefighters are… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 30, 2025 Hospitals in the area were quickly overwhelmed. A senior official at Pranaam Hospitals in Miyapur confirmed they had received 21 patients on Monday. Most had severe burns and head injuries. 'Two were declared brought dead, and one more succumbed this morning,' the official said. Dhruva Hospitals in Patancheru also received 11 patients. Of the nine currently admitted, five are on ventilator support. 'We have seven patients with burns ranging from 40 to 80 per cent, and two others with 10 per cent burns,' a hospital official told PTI. Two of the most critical cases have been referred to super-speciality hospitals for advanced care. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rescue operations were continuing at the site, led by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), HYDRAA, and the Telangana Fire and Disaster Response Department. PTI The intensity of the blast left some bodies badly mutilated or burned beyond recognition. Authorities have now begun conducting DNA tests to help identify the deceased. As of Tuesday, rescue operations were continuing at the site, led by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), HYDRAA, and the Telangana Fire and Disaster Response Department. PM Modi announces ex gratia, probe ordered Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss. He announced Rs 2 lakh for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Union Minister and Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy said, 'NDRF, Police and other agencies are engaged in relief operations…Central financial assistance of Rs 2 lakhs each will be given to families of the deceased persons and Rs 50,000 to the injured.' He added, 'The BJP never does politics on such issues. We will fully cooperate in relief activities…The state government should take all steps to prevent such accidents.' Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed deep sorrow over the latest incident and directed authorities to 'take all necessary steps to rescue any workers still trapped.' The state government has constituted a five-member committee to investigate the cause of the explosion and recommend safety measures. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With input from agencies
