THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 3 July 2020 Lax on safety: On Nevveli and Vizag disasters (The Hindu)

Lax on safety: On Nevveli and Vizag disasters (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Governance 
Prelims level: Neyveli thermal power station
Mains level: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability

Context: 

  • Two deadly industrial disasters, in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, leading to the loss of at least eight lives and causing serious injuries to many, once again underscorethe value of safety protocols. 
  • In a boiler blast at the Neyveli thermal power station, 6 people were killed and a dozen workers suffered severe burns, while a toxic chemical leak at a pharmaceutical plant in Visakhapatnam led to 2 deaths immediately. 
  • These other recent disasters, also at a Neyveli have come at a stressful time when India is trying to find its feetin the midst of the pandemic. 

Strict regulation:

  • What happened in Neyveli on Wednesday is inexplicable, since the power producer had encountered a boiler furnace blowout only on May 7, and had ordered a review of its infrastructure and processes. 
  • Without meticulouscare, boilers are dangerous pieces of equipment. 
  • High-pressure and superheated steam make for a lethal combination, if their release mechanism is not kept in good order, and there is an explosion. 
  • For this very reason, they are regulated strictly under the Indian Boilers Act, at least on paper. 
  • The terrible consequences of lax boiler safety were evident three years ago in Rae Bareli, when a blast at an NTPC power plant killed a few dozen people. 
  • But States have clearly not internalised a culture of zero tolerance to boiler accidents.

Maintenance and operational procedures:

  • The gas leak in Visakhapatnam apparently involving benzimidazole, a chemical used in pharmaceuticals, raises questions on maintenance and operational procedures. 
  • The probe into how vapours of a stable but acutely toxic chemical escaped should lead to an upgrade to safety protocols. 
  • In the Neyveli incident, there is a suggestion that the boiler was not in operation as it had tripped and was in the process of being revived. 
  • Since the major operations of this equipment involve a furnace and production of steam, what led to an unexpected blowout? 
  • NLC India, a key power producer, has an obligationto present a transparent report on why its facilities are beset by mishaps. 
  • Occupational safety demands that boilers are operated by trained personnel, but some of those on the ground have been described as contract employees. 
  • It will take an independent probe to determine whether cost calculations guided staffing decisions in such a hazardous sector. 

 Lackdaisical Approach:

  • The response of the Centre and States to industrial accidents is usually to stem public outrage by announcing compensation for victims. 
  • A transparent inquiry that leads to a fixing of responsibility and reform is a low priority. 
  • This culture must change. Such accidents are mostly preventable, and occur rarely in the industrialised world, because of impeccable attention to safety. 
  • India’s aspirations to industrialise should be founded on safety.

Conclusion:

Prelims Questions:

Q.1). With reference to the National Productivity Council (NPC), consider the following statements:
1. It is an autonomous body under Union Ministry of Finance. 
2. NPC is a constituent of the Tokyo-based Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an Inter-Governmental Body, of which the Government of India is a founder member.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: B

Mains Questions:

Q.1). What are the maintenance and operational procedures required for a thermal power station?

UPSC 2020
Civil Services EXAM
Civil Services Preliminary
Civil Services Mains
UPSC
IAS PRE GS
संघ लोक सेवा आयोग - UPSC