VISAKHAPATNAM: Noted environmentalist and former Union energy secretary EAS Sarma has said the fire in Visakha Solvents in Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City at Parawada is the 26th industrial mishap in the last four to five years, in which 26 people were killed and more than 70 injured.
In a letter sent to Special Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad on Tuesday, he said the State government belatedly arrested the directors of LG Polymers in connection with styrene gas leak, and no action has been taken yet pertaining to mishaps at SPY Agro Industries and Sainor Life Sciences. Inaction on the part of the government has incentivised indifference to safety considerations resulting in more industrial mishaps.
Considering that the Pharma City has become more prone to industrial accidents now, will the State government and the Inspector of Factories institute special safety audits for the units? he asked. It is evident now that safety audit is being ordered when an industrial accident takes place by way of an exception.
When more than 26 industrial mishaps had taken place in the Pharma City, the State government ought to have taken penal action against the Inspector of Factories who has the overall responsibility, he said. Sarma said promoters of these units should be prosecuted, besides taking stern action against the officials concerned for laxity to prevent recurrence of industrial mishaps in the Pharma City.
CPM State executive member Ch Narasinga Rao and CITU leaders demanded that safety audit be conducted mandatorily to prevent recurrence of industrial mishaps in the Pharma City. Laxity on the part of promoters of industrial units in implementation of safety measures should not be tolerated, they said. The CITU leaders demanded payment of an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore to the family of a chemist who was killed in the Visakha Solvents fire.