Police question Chinese engineers in Balco mishap

Raipur, Oct 7 : Chhattisgarh police have interrogated several Chinese engineers employed by Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation (SEPCO) at Korba town to probe the Sep 23 collapse of an under-construction power plant chimney that killed 45 workers.

"We have interrogated a few Chinese engineers of SEPCO since Monday regarding the Balco tragedy and have also collected some documents," Vivek Sharma, police station in charge of Balco Nagar in Korba, told IANS over phone.

He said the interrogation was part of a police case lodged at Balco Nagar police station by the Chhattisgarh government after a 100 metre high chimney for a 1,200 mw thermal plant collapsed Sep 23.

The Chhattisgarh government has also ordered a judicial probe, but is yet to announce the name of the judge.

Vedanta Resources Plc-controlled Balco in which the Indian government holds a 49 percent stake, had awarded SEPCO the task of constructing two thermal power plants of 600 mw each at Korba, 250-km from here.