Hyderabad: Erring factories put on safety radar

Hyderabad: In the wake of increasing industrial mishaps which claimed many lives in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana Government is gearing up to crack its whip against the factories and industrial units which are found violating the safety guidelines.

In a random survey, it was found that many industrial units in and around Greater Hyderabad limits were not maintaining required safety measures. Hence the department has put Plastic and Pharma industries, which use concentrated hazardous chemicals under the close watch.

State Industry and IT Minister KT Rama Rao has instructed Secretary state Industries department Jayesh Ranjan to get a thorough industrial safety audit of all manufacturing units done within a week.

It may be mentioned here that the Union Government has recently sent an advisory to all States to review the safety measures in all polymer companies and bulk drug manufacturing units soon after the gas leak tragedy in coastal city of Visakhapatnam in AP which happened in May this year.

Top officials said that special teams have been formed in the Industries department to conduct a visit to the industries and examine the safety measures taken in the premises. The managements of manufacturing units have been asked to furnish details of safety measures initiated after the resumption of production post lockdown period.

Officials said that Katedan area in Greater Hyderabad limits is the hub of plastic industry. Some more polymer units are located in Miyapur and Balanagar industrial parks. Nearly 1,000 drug industries are located in the industrial areas in Patancheru, Moulali and other industrial zones in Hyderabad and a few big drug manufacturing units are established on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The chemicals used in plastic industry emit poisonous gases where more precautions are required to check the possibility of gas leak.

In the districts, cement factories, rice mills, cold storages, small and medium plants mainly food processing and detergent manufacturing units would be checked to find out whether these units are strictly adhering to the safety norms. A centralised monitoring unit in Hyderabad was monitoring the safety of the units online round-the- clock, said an official. Based on the report submitted by the official teams, the Industries department would initiate action against the errant managements. Hefty fine and closure of units is also part of the punishment, the official said.