Telangana CM Announces Rs 1 Cr Relief After Pharma Plant Blast

In an unprecedented decision following the devastating explosion at Sigachi Industries' pharma facility in Sangareddy, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy has stated that he will be awarding Rs 1 crore for  deceased worker's family.

The explosion actually occurred on June 30 at the spray dryer unit at Pashamylaram, effectively bringing down the building, killing more than 36 persons and injuring some 30 others.

The CM has also pledged to provide Rs 10 lakh for seriously injured workers and Rs 5 lakh for mildly injured workers, along with emergent relief of Rs 1 lakh of Rs 50,000 for deceased and injured workers, respectively. A high-level investigation has been initiated to investigate the cause of the blast and to assess compliance with safety and operational standards in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector generally.

This accident specifically has brought to the fore the need for the regulation of safety procedures and audits in India's emerging pharmaceutical and chemical processing units for consideration by the industry as a whole. The industry routinely relies on contract labour and currently pays little or no attention to safety in hazardous situations.

 Also Read: Medical Affairs in Building a Value-Based Healthcare System

The fact that Telangana is a major pharmaceutical centre raises questions, and the indicated response is primarily a response to address emergent relief but if the investigation is transparent and custodial aspects of managing safety regimes is reflective both promising reforms in oversight and structural economic reform to avoid accidents in future through raised industrial safety standards.