Follow safety norms or face closure, Andhra Pradesh Minister warns units

Minister for Infrastructure and Investment Ganta Srinivasa Rao on Friday threatened to serve closure notices on the industries which failed to adhere to stipulations and norms prescribed for effluent treatment, fire safety, and emissions of pollutants.

After a visit to the fire-affected bulk drug unit owned by Glochem Industries Limited at Parawada, about 50 km from there, he said on the instructions of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, a high-level meeting would be held at Circuit House here on Saturday to review safety precautions being undertaken by various industries.

Senior officials from the government, including Director-General of Fire Services N. Sambasiva Rao, District Collector V. Sheshadri, and Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories D. Chandrasekhar Varma would attend.

Expressing deep shock over outbreak of fire at Glochem’s unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City and fire accidents at various units at Parawada, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, HPCL’s Visakh Refinery, Hetero Drugs Limited and Heritage Foods Limited, he said they would not hesitate to shut down those units which were not following the directives being issued by the government to them to adopt latest safety gadgets. While emphasising the importance of wooing investments in the region, he said at the same time, safety could not be compromised. He said fortunately in the fire accident that occurred at Glochem’s unit, no casualties were reported.

But still apart from industrial accidents, there had been concern among the denizens over discharge of untreated effluents and release of pollutants into the air and water bodies.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/follow-safety-norms-or-face-closure-andhra-pradesh-minister-warns-units/article4771795.ece