Anakapalle Pharma Blast: CM Naidu asks industries under Red category to conduct internal safety audit

Anakapalle: "In the last five years, 119 incidents happened in the Special Economic Zone, and 120 persons died. I appeal to all the industries, especially those companies under 'Red Category', to immediately take up internal safety audit," said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu.

On Thursday, Chandrababu Naidu visited the injured persons at a hospital in Visakhapatnam and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore to the victim's kin, Rs 50 lakh to severely injured workers and Rs 25 lakh to the injured persons.

The chief minister said that the failure to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) by Escientia Advanced Sciences Pvt Ltd was clear and the chemical involved in the accident was an explosive one. "A vapour cloud explosion in the pharma company caused the fire accident. It is clear that proper SoPs were not followed. If they were followed then this problem wouldn't have arisen. The explosion was so intense that it blew up several walls while workers were thrown on the walls and fences," the CM said, addressing a press conference.

Seventeen died, and 36 were injured after a blast ripped through Escientia Advanced Science Pvt Ltd, a pharma company at the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Atchutapuram cluster.

"I always hope to bring more industries, but safety measures are equally important. The company in SEZ Atchutapuram, where the blast happened, is under the Red categor," said CM Naidu.

Naidu has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident, promising stringent action against the management if its negligence was found to have caused the tragic incident. "Soon after the report, I will take serious action against those responsible for the major mishap," told Naidu, warning the Industries to follow safety norms.

Suspects solvent leakage

A suspected solvent leakage could have triggered a blaze in a pharma unit that has killed 17 persons, a senior official said.

Anakapalli district Collector Vijaya Krishnan told there was no rise in the death toll which stood at 17 following the accident on Wednesday.

"The actual cause is yet to be ascertained," she said, adding preliminary assessment pointed to solvent leakage from a pipe which fell on an electric panel, leading to the fire accident.

Vijaya Krishnan observed that a suspected solvent leakage could have triggered the blaze in the plant of Escientia Advanced Sciences Pvt Ltd here, leading to the death of 17 persons and injuries to 33.

"I met the injured persons of the Atchutapuram pharma company accident in a Visakhapatnam hospital and instilled confidence in them and their families. I gave the assurance to come to the rescue of victims' families," Naidu said in a post on X.

Promising to take necessary precautions to avoid these kinds of accidents in future, the CM wished for the speedy recovery of the workers undergoing treatment.

Pollution audit soon:

Addressing the media in Mangalagiri, Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan said that Pharmaceutical companies should maintain minimum safety standards for the workers. "I see minor or major accidents happening frequently every week. We will soon take forward to go for a safety and pollution audit in all pharmaceutical and chemical industries," said Deputy CM.

Pawan Kalyan said that by August end, he will meet with pharma company owners in SEZ, Atchutapuram on safety norms and pollution.

Responding to the death of 17 persons in an explosion at Escientia Advanced Science Pvt Ltd, Pawan Kalyan said, "It is very painful to provide ex-gratia, placing a value on someone's life. We will take up intense meetings to avoid such deaths again,"

Relatives wait for their recovery

Relatives of the affected workers continue to wait anxiously at the pharma company, eager to know the fate of their loved ones.

"I want my father back and this company removed...," a minor girl told a vernacular news channel, referring to her father, who was employed in the firm.

The sister of a victim complained that authorities were not showing where her brother was while a sobbing elderly woman demanded the return of her son-in-law.

Escientia Advanced Sciences Pvt Ltd, which manufactures intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) commenced production in April 2019 with an investment of Rs 200 crore. It is located on a 40-acre campus in the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation's multi-product SEZ at the Atchutapuram cluster.

Naidu meets medicos at KGH:

Naidu, during his visit to King George Hospital (KGH), met the medicos who are protesting against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee Kolkata Doctor.

Giving his support to the medicos, CM assured them that measures would be taken for the safety of doctors in all government-run hospitals in Andhra Pradesh. He requested them to resume their services.