Lockdown Opening and Chemical Industrial Disasters REPORT: National Webinar on 19th September, 2020 (1000-1320 Hrs) Jointly organized by National Institute of Disaster Management, MHA, New Delhi and Dada Ramchand Bakhru Sindhu Mahavidyalaya (DRBSM), Nagpur Background National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), New Delhi and Dada Ramchand Bakhru Sindhu Mahavidyalaya (DRBSM), Nagpur, successfully organized a Webinar on, “Lockdown Opening and Chemical Industrial Disasters” today (1000-1320 Hrs). Shri Ashish Kumar Panda, Consultant and Faculty Member, NIDM and Shri Naveen Aggarwal, Registrar, DRBSM were the Programme Coordinators for the event. There have been more than 30 industrial accidents, killing at least 75 people and injuring over a hundred, since India returned to work after the Covid-19 lockdown in May. At an average, one industrial accident at least every two days, have been observed, which have killed or maimed workers and also polluting the surroundings with long-term health and environmental implications. Toxic gas leak at the LG Polymers plant in Andhra Pradesh on May 7 brought back memories of the Bhopal gas tragedy. Boiler explosion at Yashashvi Raasayan Pvt Ltd at Dahej, Gujarat killed at least eight people and injured about 40. Boiler explosions at Neyveli Lignite Corporation’s thermal power plant in Tamil Nadu on May 7, and again on July 1, have killed at least 20 workers. Accidents in chemical plants, coal mines, steel factories and boiler blasts in power stations have continued into July. Widespread use of unskilled contract workers, lack of safety inspections, inadequate penal action for safety violations and not fixing responsibility on the employer may be seen as serious factors as shortcomings. Series of accidents expose a pattern of systemic failures, industries halted without proper shutdown processes with poor planning and failure to ensure adequate maintenance and inspection during the lockdown, which have led to accidents while restarting them. Inaugural Session Inaugural Session was graced by Major General, Shri Manoj Kumar Bindal, Executive Director, NIDM, ED, NIDM, Shri H. R. Bakhru, President, Dr. Vinky Rughwani, Chairman and Dr. I. P. Keswani, General Secreary of the Sindhi Hindi Vidya Samiti, Nagpur and Prof. Anil K. Gupta, HOD, ECDRM, NIDM. Shri H R Bakhru ji, President of Sindhi Hindi Vidya Samiti, Nagpur, in his Inaugural Address, spoke about pandemic impacts across the globe and India. He mentioned that the lockdown has impacted the education sector as well as the chemical industries. He emphasized that major industrial disasters are increasing in the pandemic opening time and that there is Need for trial runs before beginning industries, following NDMA guidelines. Executive Director, NIDM, Major general Shri Manoj Kumar Bindal ji, VSM, in his Key Note Address of the Programme, highlighted importance of adhering to the safety precautions and guidelines and that we cannot afford oversight of emergency preparedness, planning and management of chemical industrial disasters. He also mentioned the importance of full scale mock drills, Safer engineering practices, regular checks to avoid human errors, to fill visible gaps in coordination of agencies dealing in this area, need to adapt multi hazard risk identification and reduction approach in our country etc. Dr. Vinky Rughwani, Chairman, Sindhi Hindi Vidya Samiti, Nagpur, in his special address, informed that the Sindhi Hindi Vidya Samiti, Nagpur is a minority educational institute, having 25 schools and colleges and giving education to 22000 students and having 1100 teachers. He further shared his experience with respect to handling pandemic from close quarters. He highlighted Post Covid medical issues, psycho social care needs, Post lockdown opening of industries and need for organizing such webinars in future for continuing the training, knowledge dissemination and sensitization. Dr. I.P. Keswani, General Secretary, Sindhi Hindi Vidya Samiti, Nagpur, in his special address, spoke about human being’s co-existence with the chemical and related industries. Need for strong industrial safety in this sector. He emphasized that to tap opportunities that such disasters pose to mankind, we need to encourage our local industries to avoid our dependence upon imported materials and items and for that safe industrial set up and environment has to be provided. Prof. Anil K. Gupta, HOD, ECDRM, NIDM, in his special address, spoke about need for redefining the meaning and definition of growth and development in the light of endangering environment around us. He mentioned that time has come when new paradigms of safety measures have to be identified and practiced. If we really want to make India self-reliant, there is need to provide our industries safe environment and culture so that businesses can grow sustainably in an atmosphere of trust and harmony. Distinguished Guests in the Inaugural Session spoke about mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in our development plans, need for safety audit and implementation of rules at ground level for keeping our chemical industries safe, skill development of workers, community awareness and participation in planning, onsite and offsite plans and their regular reviews, regular mock drills and bringing the subject of chemical industrial disaster safety measures into the graduate and postgraduate level educational curriculum etc. Technical Session Shri Ashish Kumar Panda, Consultant and Faculty Member, NIDM:- He first spoke about the Covid 19, its present status globally and in our country and prescribed some Dos and Donts in this regard. The presentation included details about current situation across the globe and India, benefits of following self-distancing and home quarantine, usages of sanitizers, vaccines, immunity enhancement measures, mental wellbeing, way of living and approach of life towards Covid 19 etc. His second talk was on basics of Disaster Management and Institutional Mechanism. He spoke in detail about cycles of DM, hazards, vulnerability, risk, capacity building etc. with respect to DRR. He elaborated about the policy changes and paradigm shifts globally and in India with SFDRR, Paris Climate Agreement, SDGs, DM Act, 2005, National Policy on DM, 2009, NDMP 2016(revised on 2019), Hon’ble PM’s 10 point agenda on DRM and way forward with respect to DRM in our country. He also touched upon mitigation funds and the 15th Finance Commission in this regard. He concluded by saying that it is a multi-hazard scene now and only multi sectoral approach involving everybody will give us solutions to burning issues w.r.t. DRM. Er. Awdhesh Kumar, Invertis University, Bareilly:- He spoke on the need for a Disaster Management Plan for Chemical Industrial Disasters. He gave broad overview, causes, short term and long term impacts with respect to chemical industrial disasters. He covered Bhopal Gas Tragedy and other such major disasters which have impacted our country, of late. He explained step by step approach with respect to preparation of such a DM plan and the measures which are critical to its making. He also mentioned about the important golden hour principle in a post disaster scenario, need for skilled manpower, regular mock drills and sensitization of the local community. Dr. Shailandra Saxena, Ministry of Defence:- He highlighted the required safety measures with regard to chemical industries by providing details of history of chemical industries, category of chemical hazards, impact of health of workers and local population. He further detailed about the importance of globally harmonized pictograms and the three important aspects related to chemical safety viz. labeling of chemicals, preparation of safety data sheet and training to be imparted to the employees working in chemical industries. He concluded by saying that human errors have to be monitored and reduced to the best extent possible through knowledge dissemination about the incompatible chemicals and related hazards etc. Prof. Anil K. Gupta, HOD, ECDRM, NIDM:- He spoke about the Industrial Chemical Disaster Resilience and the new paradigms in this regard. He emphasized upon moving ahead from contingency/response plan to business continuity plan, business sustainability strategy and business impact assessment. He mentioned that CSR need not be seen as expenditure rather it should be seen as an investment for long term paybacks. Structural safety system should now incorporate climate change impacts as well. Multi hazard risk assessment and preparedness and participatory planning by workers/local communities should be adhered to. He concluded by saying that machinery failure data, post-accident analysis and district climate action plan should be made compulsory to prevent chemical disasters. Questions raised by participants in the Chat Box were simultaneously answered then and there by the esteemed speakers. Valedictory Session Various aspects of Chemical Hazards in our country, Existing Acts/Rules, Issues concerning safety and management of chemicals, Problems of Chemical Industries due to Lockdown and later its opening, Need for Chemical Disaster Mangement Plan, Details of hazardous chemical substances and their impact on humans and environment, new paradigms with respect to business continuity and sustainable development etc. were discussed and highlighted during the programme. ED, NIDM, Major General, Shri Manoj Kumar Bindal, VSM and DR. S. V. Kasbekar, Principal DRBS were present at the Valedictory Session. ED, NIDM gave the concluding