Lok Sabha Question No. 90 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-21
Subject: Environmental Damage due to Accidents in Chemical Industries
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramcharan Bohra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 90 TO BE ANSWERED ON21.06.2019

## Environmental Damage due to Accidents in Chemical Industries

## 90. SHRI RAMCHARAN BHORA:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the damage caused to the environment due to leakage/accidents in the chemical industries during the last three years and the current year;
- (b) whether such incidents have increased in the recent years;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (d) the remedial measures taken to protect the environment from such damages?

## ANSWER MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (c) The Ministry of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEFCC) compiles the chemical accident related data based on the inputs provided bythe Chief Inspector  of  Factories  (CIFs)  of  various  State  Governments/  Union  Territories.  Such accidents  cause  damage  to  environment  as  well  as  human  life.  The  available  data indicates a downward trend in occurrence of accidents as well as resulting deaths during last  three  years.  The  year  wise  accident  related  information  for  thelast  three  years  is mentioned below:
- (d) According  to  National  Disaster  Management  Authority  (NDMA),  the  primary responsibility  to  deal  with  chemical  accident  related  incidents  rests  with  State Governments  /  Union  Territory  administrations.  The  NDMA  is  responsible  for laying  down  the  policies,  plans  and  guidelines  for  disaster  management  for ensuring  timely  and  effective  response  to  disaster.  To  this  effect,  NDMA  had issued National Disaster Management Guidelines on Chemical Disasters (Industrial)  in  April,  2007.  The  Guidelines inter-alia contains  the  roles  and responsibilities  of  different  stakeholders  to  deal  with  such  situations.  NDMA released  National  Disaster  Management  Plan  (NDMP)  in  May,  2016  to  assist stakeholders including State Governments in disaster risk management of various hazards  including  Chemical  (Industrial).  The  Plan  provides  a  framework  and direction  to  government  agencies  for  all  phases  of  disaster  management  i.e. prevention,  mitigation,  response  and  recovery.  The  NDMA  regularly  conducts Mock  Exercises  for  various  hazards  including  Chemical  (Industrial)  disasters  to

| Year      |   No. of Accidents |   Deaths |   Injuries |
|-----------|--------------------|----------|------------|
| 2015-2016 |                 64 |       66 |        192 |
| 2016-2017 |                 57 |       90 |        189 |
| 2017-2018 |                 31 |       39 |        728 |

sensitize  the  stakeholders  regarding  preventive  &  mitigation  measures  as  well  as test the efficacy of Disaster Management Plans.  Till date, 88 such mock exercises on Chemical (Industrial) have been conducted throughout the country.Further, the Ministry  has  notified  Manufacture,  Storage  and  Import  of  Hazardous  Chemical Rules,  1989  (MSIHC  Rules,  1989)  with  the  objective  of  preventing  chemical accidents from industrial activities and mitigate associated impacts. The Chemical Accident (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996 complement MSIHC  Rules, 1989 and provide statutory backup to crisis management set up with four-tier system at Central, State, District and Local level.

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