<p class="bodytext">The death of at least 40 people in an explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in Sangareddy district in Telangana, operated by Sigachi Industries, on Monday again underlines the lax safety regime in India’s industrial sector. About 90 people were working in the unit when the blast, believed to have been triggered by a malfunctioning reactor, caused a massive fire. The company is a major producer of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) which is used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and industrial applications. There is no official account of the cause of the blast. On Tuesday, eight workers were killed in an explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu. More than 50 workers were present at the site when the accident, believed to have been caused while handling chemicals, occurred.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Telangana government has ordered an investigation by a five-member committee to bring out the cause of the accident. The fireworks unit accident will also be probed. Both mishaps are the latest of a series of industrial accidents. In 2024, a blast in Thane, Maharashtra, killed 10 people and two blasts at firecracker factories in Tamil Nadu killed 14 people. There was also a chemical factory explosion in Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh. Last year, at least 240 workplace accidents were reported from manufacturing, mining, and energy sectors which caused over 400 fatalities and many more injuries, according to IndustriAll data. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has reported that there were more than 130 chemical accidents that caused the death of 259 people in the last 10 years. The number of accidents and the toll could be higher – these incidents are often underreported.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The committee has been asked to find out the reasons for the accident and to suggest ways for averting them in future. Similar committees have in the past made recommendations that were not implemented. Managements often try to cut corners by compromising on safety measures which could turn out to be costly. It is now known that the Sangareddy factory had no fire alarms and heat sensors. The state overlooked the absence of even basic safety systems. Fireworks units, meanwhile, continue to report accidents. The Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the world’s biggest industrial accidents, happened because of a lack of vigil but the massive damage it caused has not instilled sufficient awareness of the need for safety measures. The regulatory and supervisory checks have also been proved inadequate. After every accident, accountability should be fixed and the guilty should be punished. The recurring accidents will hinder any aspiration India has to become an industrial powerhouse.</p>
<p class="bodytext">The death of at least 40 people in an explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in Sangareddy district in Telangana, operated by Sigachi Industries, on Monday again underlines the lax safety regime in India’s industrial sector. About 90 people were working in the unit when the blast, believed to have been triggered by a malfunctioning reactor, caused a massive fire. The company is a major producer of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) which is used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and industrial applications. There is no official account of the cause of the blast. On Tuesday, eight workers were killed in an explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu. More than 50 workers were present at the site when the accident, believed to have been caused while handling chemicals, occurred.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Telangana government has ordered an investigation by a five-member committee to bring out the cause of the accident. The fireworks unit accident will also be probed. Both mishaps are the latest of a series of industrial accidents. In 2024, a blast in Thane, Maharashtra, killed 10 people and two blasts at firecracker factories in Tamil Nadu killed 14 people. There was also a chemical factory explosion in Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh. Last year, at least 240 workplace accidents were reported from manufacturing, mining, and energy sectors which caused over 400 fatalities and many more injuries, according to IndustriAll data. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has reported that there were more than 130 chemical accidents that caused the death of 259 people in the last 10 years. The number of accidents and the toll could be higher – these incidents are often underreported.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The committee has been asked to find out the reasons for the accident and to suggest ways for averting them in future. Similar committees have in the past made recommendations that were not implemented. Managements often try to cut corners by compromising on safety measures which could turn out to be costly. It is now known that the Sangareddy factory had no fire alarms and heat sensors. The state overlooked the absence of even basic safety systems. Fireworks units, meanwhile, continue to report accidents. The Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the world’s biggest industrial accidents, happened because of a lack of vigil but the massive damage it caused has not instilled sufficient awareness of the need for safety measures. The regulatory and supervisory checks have also been proved inadequate. After every accident, accountability should be fixed and the guilty should be punished. The recurring accidents will hinder any aspiration India has to become an industrial powerhouse.</p>
