KOCHI: As the toxic gas leak at LG Polymers India chemical plant in Visakhapatnam has claimed 11 lives so far, industrial units across Kerala have been told to check their storage facilities before restarting their operations after Covid-19 lockdown. The directive issued by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (Peso) has asked major accident hazard (MAH) industries to strictly adhere to the norms in the wake of the gas tragedy.
“Though the accident isn’t as severe as the one in Bhopal, during which more than 2,000 people died, the mishap showed the same kinds of human and equipment failures. As Kerala has 37 MAH factories, we have directed them to take utmost care to check accumulated toxic gas during their reopening. They will have to submit a revised emergency plan and we are in constant touch with all MAH industries through video conferences to strengthen the safety systems,” said R Venugopal, deputy chief of explosives, Peso.
There are several storage facilities for petrol, diesel, naphtha, low sulphur heavy stock (LSHS) and ethanol which constitute the MAH industries. Currently, these are being monitored by the Department of Factories and Boilers, and Pollution Control Board, besides Peso. “We have asked all chemical industrial units to follow the pollution control measures before resuming their services. Also, a special direction has been given to units which are functional during the lockdown,” said a PCB official.
Major accident hazard An MAH installation is an isolated storage and industrial activity at a site which includes transport through carrier or pipeline of hazardous chemicals specified under the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical (Amendment) Rules (2000). If a unit has a storage of 10 tonnes of chlorine or 50 tonnes of flammable gas like LPG or LNG, then it will be an MAH industry.
37 MAH units in Kerala Out of 37 MAH units in the state, 20 industries are in Ernakulam, four each in Kozhikode and Alappuzha districts, two each in Kollam, Kottayam and Palakkad districts and one each in Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram and Kannur districts. Besides, there are 19 LPG (flammable) storage premises, three chlorine (toxic gas) premises and two ammonia (toxic gas) premises. Travancore Cochin Chemicals (TCC), Kochi; Hindustan Insecticides Limited, Kochi; and KMML, Chavara, are handling chlorine in Kerala. FACT’s Udyogamandal and Ambalamedu divisions are managing ammonia.
Facilities There are several storage facilities for petrol, diesel, naphtha, low sulphur heavy stock and ethanol which constitute the MAH industries
These are being monitored by the Department of Factories and Boilers, and Pollution Control Board, besides Peso