A Recap of Industrial Disasters in India

• The Ludhiana incident:
  • Preliminary findings indicate that hydrogen sulfide may have been produced from a factory's acidic waste, which was irresponsibly discharged into a drain and reacted with methane and other sewage gases.
• In 2020, a unit of LG Polymer India in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, released harmful styrene vapours into the atmosphere, causing several deaths.
• The Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984 is considered one of the worst industrial disasters in Indian history.

The Current System's Challenges:

• Violation of safety norms: Despite the existence of safety norms, many instances of non-compliance have led to tragic outcomes.
  • Industrial waste is often illicitly dumped into drains or rivers in different parts of India, posing significant threats to human and aquatic life.
    • The degradation of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers due to industrial waste dumping highlights the seriousness of this issue.
• Weak enforcement: Mere existence of regulations is not enough; their enforcement is equally important. There is a clear gap between the rules on paper and their implementation in reality.
  • The ability of influential corporations to evade punishment raises serious concerns.
    • This issue has been a concern since the Bhopal gas tragedy, where the Chairman of Union Carbide evaded prosecution in India, and compensation for the victims was hard to secure. It was only in 2010 that eight people were convicted for negligence.
    • This delay in delivering justice sets a dangerous precedent for holding businesses accountable for their actions.

The Road Ahead:

• Audit of waste disposal methods:
  • It would be helpful to audit waste disposal practices nationwide to identify and correct any lax attitudes towards safety.
  • Strict enforcement measures should be taken against those who do not adhere to standard disposal practices.
• Accountability: Given the invisibility of gases, it is crucial to hold those responsible for their release accountable for any resulting harm.
• Justice: Justice must be ensured in cases of industrial disasters, and corporations should be held accountable for their actions.
• As India pushes forward with its ' Make in India ' initiative and aims to boost manufacturing, the potential for fatal accidents cannot be overlooked. Strict vigilance is necessary to prevent mistakes and ensure safety.