NEW DELHI: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) issued direction to all states to ensure hazard audit of all industrial units resuming operations after lockdown to prevent any chemical leakage from plants.
A day after 11 people were killed in a gas leak at Vizag, CPCB chairman Ravi S Prasad wrote to all state pollution control boards (SPCBs) said some serious cases of chemical leakages, industrial mishaps have been reported recently and a proper safety and hazard audit should be undertaken by all units before resuming operation.
“The SPCBs shall direct all the units that manufacture, store or import hazardous chemicals to resume their adequate operations after COVID 19 lockdown, only after they have taken adequate necessary steps to prevent the occurrence of any chemical leakage/accident,” he said.
According to initial report, the Vizag accident happened after the container that was being used to store styrene gas was old and not properly maintained.
Prasad said the SPCBs shall ensure that pollution control equipment, connectivity of Operational Customer Experience Management with CPCB/SPCB servers, effluent treatment plants including safety equipment and it machineries shall be kept in good operable conditions before resuming operation.