VISAKHAPATNAM: Regulatory vacuum is responsible for fatal industrial mishaps that are taking place frequently, not only in Pharma City but also in other parts of the State, said former Union energy secretary EAS Sarma.
In a letter written to Special Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad on Wednesday, he said serious mishaps occurred in chemical units in Pydibheemavaram Complex in Srikakulam, in Hetero Drugs and Deccan Chemicals in Visakhapatnam, and in several other places.
Several industrial accidents occurred in Pharma City in the last seven years in which more than 24 workers were killed and 70 injured. The gas leak in LG Polymers plant at RR Venkatapuram and in SPY Agro Industries Ltd at Nandyal resulted in fatalities.
He sought to know whether the Inspector of Factories initiated any investigation into the circumstances that led to the fatal accident in Sainor plant five years ago and what action was taken against its management. Stating that the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) constituted the Dave Committee in the past to look into industrial pollution, Sarma asked the government whether its recommendations were implemented or not.
He underlined the need to conduct special safety audits in industrial units to avert recurrence of mishaps.Speaking to TNIE, Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories KBS Prasad said they have been monitoring the industrial units whether they are undertaking programmes such as mock drills and their safety preparedness to avert mishaps. The department has given training to 4,000 employees in skill development and safety aspects. They have been continuously monitoring the steps taken by the industrial units on safety aspects.
The four injured in hydrogen sulphide leak in Sainor Life Sciences Pvt Ltd on Monday night, are still undergoing treatment in hospitals. One of them is still in ICU. About 25 people were working in the plant when the mishap occurred. The inquiry committee set up by the Collector will submit the final report in a couple of days. Statements of the injured workers were taken on Wednesday as part of the probe, he said.
Regarding the accident occurred in Sainor in 2015, he said a case was filed then in the court and the company paid compensation. In the last seven years, 40 to 50 new companies came up and the existing ones expanded. Almost all pharma units in the district are located in Parawada.
The Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories claimed that there has been a lot of improvement in safety aspects in pharma units. The companies are taking safety precautions as they are mandatory as per export norms, he said. There are 85 units with an annual turnover of over `25,000 crore in Pharma City at Parawada, which provided employment to 32,000 people, said Pharma City CEO Lal Krishna. He said they arranged meetings with regulatory authorities and industries on safety protocols. In view of Covid-19 curbs, three meetings were held for a group of 30 people each, he said and added that the PCB and the Industry Department provided them safety guidelines. The authorities are planning to strengthen the regulatory mechanism on aspects of industrial safety, he said.