Out of some 344 registered chemical industries in Cuttack district, 53 of them are vulnerable to accidents causing industrial disasters. This was informed by Industries Joint Director Chandrakant Dalai on Friday while speaking at the inaugural session of a two-day workshop here conducted jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA).
Dalai said that as per the Industries Act of 1948, the 344 registered industrial units dealing with chemicals run in the district, of which, 53 have been identified as not adhering to proper safety measures in production and management and are vulnerable to industrial disasters. Senior advisors of NDMA, OSDMA and several scientists observed that industrial disasters are caused either by accidents, negligence or incompetence. Similarly, chemical accidents occur due to fire, explosions, leakages or release of toxic substances, which could cause illness, injury, disability or death of living beings, they said. The participants also pointed out that while the Central and State Governments have promulgated several Acts and Rules to ensure avoidance of industrial disasters, the units do not lay due emphasis on effective control of such disasters.