Exuding confidence on development of Visakhapatnam as an international city post-bifurcation, a senior scientist of Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) opined that pollution control should be on top of agenda while preparing a vision for city’s development.
C.V. Chalapati Rao, senior-most chief scientist at NEERI, who was here to take part in a two-day conference on environment organised by Andhra University College of Engineering, told The Hindu that most of the industrial accidents in the region could have been prevented and blamed negligence as the root-cause.
He said the city had already become an industrial hub due to location of a natural harbour and logistics advantage. “We do have safety apparatus. But repeated accidents, be it at HPCL or Visakhapatnam Steel Plant or Pharma City, could be stopped or minimised by ensuring periodical check-up and mock drills,” he said.
Dr. Rao, who had accompanied the parliamentary team after a vapour cloud explosion killed 60 people at HPCL Visakh Refinery in 1997, said in most cases, the expert panel recommendations for enhancing safety apparatus were not being followed. “NEERI itself has prepared several reports on the city’s emission levels and ways and means to control them,” he stated.
He said statutory agencies like AP Pollution Control Board should be sanctioned more manpower for strict monitoring of safety equipment and practices. In view of massive investments proposed in the petroleum corridor (PCPIR) envisaged between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, the need is to focus more on safety culture, he pointed out.
