Lok Sabha Question No. 424 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-21
Subject: Damage caused by Chemical and Petrochemical Industries
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Anumula Revanth Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICALS & PETROCHEMICALS

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 424 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2023

## DAMAGE CAUSED BY CHEMICAL AND PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRIES

## 424.    SHRI ANUMULA REVANTH REDDY:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS ANDFERTILIZERS, be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  the  incidents  of  accidents,  spills,  leaks,  and  fires  involving  the  chemical and petrochemical industries during the last five years, year-wise;
- (b) the details of the human and environmental damage caused by them and the compensation paid to the affected parties;
- (c)  the  number  of  inspections  of  the  industries  conducted  in  the  past  year,  and  the  major findings or violations discovered during these inspections;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  imposed  penalties  or  taken  any  legal  actions  against  the companies responsible for the said incidents and accidents; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA)

- (a) to (e): Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  seeks information  on  chemical  accidents  occurred  in  industrial  installations  covered  under  the purview of Manufacture, Storage, and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989 from the Chief Inspector of Factories (CIFs) of various State/UTs on a progressive basis. Based on the information  received  from  CIFs,  the  number  of  major  accidents  caused,  and  human injuries/fatalities between 2018 to 2022 are given below:-

| State             |   No.of incidents | Fatalities   | Injuries   |
|-------------------|-------------------|--------------|------------|
| 2018              |              2018 | 2018         | 2018       |
| Assam             |                 7 | -            | -          |
| Bihar             |                 1 | 1            | -          |
| Gujarat           |                 8 | 5            | 12         |
| Maharashtra       |                 2 | 1            | 11         |
| Telangana         |                10 | 8            | 16         |
| Uttar Pradesh     |                 1 | -            | -          |
| 2019              |              2019 | 2019         | 2019       |
| Assam             |                 1 | -            | -          |
| Gujarat           |                23 | 9            | -          |
| Maharashtra       |                 6 | 4            | 2          |
| Odisha            |                 2 | -            | -          |
| Telangana         |                 9 | 7            | 11         |
| Uttar Pradesh     |                 1 | 1            | -          |
| 2020              |              2020 | 2020         | 2020       |
| Andhra Pradesh    |                 4 | 14           | 4018       |
| Assam             |                 2 | 2            | -          |
| Gujarat           |                25 | 35           | 96         |
| Maharashtra       |                 8 | 6            | 17         |
| Tamil Nadu        |                 2 | 12           | 23         |
| Telangana         |                22 | 11           | 33         |
| Uttar Pradesh     |                 3 | 3            | 19         |
| 2021              |              2021 | 2021         | 2021       |
| Andhra Pradesh    |                 2 | 3            | 3          |
| Assam             |                 3 | -            | -          |
| Gujarat           |                 1 | 2            | 26         |
| Jammu and Kashmir |                 1 | -            | -          |
| Karnataka         |                 1 | -            | -          |
| Kerala            |                 1 | -            | -          |
| Maharashtra       |                11 | 32           | 23         |
| Tamil Nadu        |                 3 | 32           | 60         |
| Telangana         |                 9 | 1            | 2          |
| Uttar Pradesh     |                 3 | -            | -          |
| 2022              |              2022 | 2022         | 2022       |
| Assam             |                 4 | -            | -          |

In certain cases of such accidents, spills, leaks and fires , Hon'ble National Green Tribunal has imposed  penalty  /  environmental  compensation  on  the  defaulter  industries  for  human  and environmental damage based on the findings of the committees constituted for the purpose.

As per the provision of MSIHC Rules, 1989, the concerned Chief Inspector of Factories (CIFs) (appointed under the Factories Act, 1948) are the nodal authorities to implement rule provisions in respect of Major Accident Hazard (MAH) Units and undertake enforcement measures.

Central Pollution Control Board is taking-up random surprise inspection under Environmental  Surveillance and taking necessary action against the industries who are found non-complying with the norms .The details regarding action taken by Central Pollution Control Board  on  the  violating  industries  i.e.  issuance  of  Closure  Directions,  Show  Cause  Notice, imposition of Environmental Compensation etc. is available on CPCB website. The link for the aforementioned website is  ( https://cpcb.nic.in/cpcb-directions-5ep.php).

The MSIHC Rules, 1989 are administered by MoEF&CC through concerned sectoral safety regulators  is  to  maintain  an  operational  safety  regime  in  Major  Accident  Hazard  units. However, CIFs (appointed under the Factories Act, 1948) are empowered to take penal action under the provisions of the Factories Act, 1948.

In  many of the above  cases of accidents, spills, leaks and fires , Hon'ble National Green Tribunal has imposed penalty / environmental compensation on the defaulter industries for human and environmental damage based on the findings of the committees constituted for the purpose.

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