Govt should take up full scale inspection of pharma, chemical units: BJP

Union Minister for Coal & Mines G. Kishan Reddy has urged the State government to undertake full scale inspection and regulation over the industries, especially those in the pharma and chemicals sectors, under a senior official to prevent fire accidents and boiler blasts like the one which took the lives of 36 persons in a private pharma unit at Sangareddy on Monday.

Mr. Kishan Reddy has said it’s unfortunate accident and could be the biggest boiler blast that had occurred in Hyderabad and noted that many are still missing. Accompanied by newly elected party president N. Ramchander Rao and other local leaders, he visited the mishap site and enquired about the relief and rehabilitation measures from the officials concerned.

The increasing number of fire accidents in recent times in the capital region is a matter of concern, he said, and wanted the government to see if proper mandatory checks are being followed by the departments concerned. The Director of Factories and other regulatory bodies should also disclose their respective inspection reports done in recent past to ferret out where there is a lapse, he said.

Workers of pharma and chemical units should be constantly trained in safety protocols and called upon the officials concerned to dwell on these aspects. He suggested all the industrial units in the area to pool in resources to build a hospital with ambulance facility to ensure emergency medicare.

Mr. Kishan Reddy said most of the deceased were poor migrant labour. The pharma company management should provide adequate compensation and take care of the bereaved families and also those injured. The State government too should lend a helping hand while the party would check for the workers antecedents to alert the respective State units to provide succour for the affected families, he said.

The Central government forces, including safety officers from the Coal Ministry and NDRF teams, were pressed into service as soon as the blast happened, he said. Later, the BJP leaders met the injured workers undergoing treatment at a Patancheru hospital and noted that many continue to be critical.