The Hindu : `No setback to ISRO programmes'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004

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`No setback to ISRO programmes'

By T.S. Shankar

CHENNAI, FEB. 24. While emphatically stating that there will be no setback to the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) programmes following Monday's fire and explosion at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (SHAR), the ISRO Chairman, G. Madhavan Nair, said today that the high-power committee set up to probe the accident would submit its first-level report within a week and a detailed one in the next six weeks. Mr. Nair called on the three scientists undergoing treatment at the Apollo Hospitals here.

Emerging out of the Apollo Hospitals accompanied by its Chairman, Prathap C. Reddy, and N. Ramakrishnan, chief of the Critical Care Unit, he told the media that "it is a sad incident and I would like to state that none of the ISRO's programmes would be affected." Asked whether one of the test motors damaged due to the blast would affect the coming Agni initiatives, Mr. Nair said a particular press report to that effect was incorrect. "I can only say that the damaged test motor was being prepared for the next generation motors. And it was only a mix up of names and did not concern the Agni programme."

Asked to quantify the total loss due to the blast, Mr. Nair said his assessment of the entire damage was between Rs. 50 lakhs and Rs. 60 lakhs. He later left for Delhi. Dr. Reddy told reporters: "All that I can say is that the best of the medicare is being provided to the three injured scientists and the modalities of the treatment are being worked out. A multi-disciplinary team of specialists has been set up which is constantly monitoring the patients."

Earlier, Dr. Ramakrishnan said all the three patients had been shifted from the emergency department to the intensive care unit (ICU) around 11.30 p.m. on Monday. Mr. Krishna Prasad (47) had sustained 80 per cent burns. He was now on intravenous fluid, nutritional support and supplemental oxygen. Mr. Sachin (28) had sustained 40 per cent burns and extensive inhalation burns. "He is critically ill and on mechanical ventilatory support, IV fluids, supportive therapy including nutritional therapy." Mr. Narayanan (48) had suffered about 20 per cent burns.

A Press Information Bureau release said the three members of a nine-member team who escaped from the building are Y. Krishna Prasad, S. Narayanan, both are Senior Engineers, and S.K. Sachin, Tradesman. Six others who could not escape were asphyxiated and burnt. They are Ramakrishna Prasad, Engineer, Basheer Saheb, N, Krisnaiah, Srinivasulu (all senior technicians), Pandit and Sanjiv (helpers).

The high-power committee appointed under the Chairmanship of R. Aravamudan, former Director of SHAR and the ISRO Satellite Centre in Bangalore, to probe the accident, will assess the damage and suggest corrective measures required for the future.

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