Based on the recommendations of the high-power committee the probed the styrene vapour leak accident at LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam recently, the government decided to undertake a special drive of inspections to ensure compliance of safety protocols and environmental norms by the industrial units in the State.
A G.O. issued on Tuesday said the special drive must be undertaken and completed in 90 days. The Joint Collectors (A&W) shall send monthly report on the progress of the special drive, it said.
The first phase would cover all hazardous chemical industries covered under the MSIHC Rules, 1989, industries that store, manufacture or handle hazardous materials, chemicals (irrespective of threshold quantity of the storage), units that store, manufacture or handle explosive substances and all industrial units in the Red category.
Allied wings such as the Factories Department, A.P. Pollution Control Board, Boilers Department, A.P. State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department, Director of Electrical Safety and Chief Electrical Inspector (Energy Department) will conduct joint inspection of each of the industrial units.
District committees
District joint committees would be constituted for the purpose, They comprise the Joint Collector (A&W) in-charge for Industries and Commerce as the Chairman, Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories, Factories Department (Member), Inspector of Boilers, Boilers Department (Member), Regional Officer APPCB (Member), Deputy Electrical Inspector (Member), District Fire Officer, APSDRFSD (Member) and General Manager, District Industries Centre (Member Convener).
The district joint committee would ensure that the action by the ‘occupier’ of the industrial unit was completed in 30 days from the circular issued by the respective Heads of Departments and to review the reports of each of the inspecting department after the joint inspections and take necessary action under relevant provisions of law.
These committees will also ensure that the Local Crisis Group, as provided under the Chemical Accidents Emergency (Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996, is formed for all the above four categories of the industries covered under the special drive. The group will include the local police, the local SDR&FS personnel, the workmen representatives of the industry, the technical and managerial experts of the industry, the local body representatives and a group of local youth residing in the vicinity and are willing to participate.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) will be an integral part of the on-site and off-site drills and implementation of the emergency plan of all hazardous industries.