Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) Chairman S. Krishnan has called for use of geographic information system and other IT applications for effective chemical (industrial) disaster management (CIDM).
“We have several websites and technologies to identify toxic substances and popularise common anecdotes and enforce implementation of standard operating procedures,” he said on Wednesday.
He was addressing the inaugural of a three-day regional conference on CIDM, organised by the FICCI with the support of the governments of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
The timely measures taken to minimise human loss when cyclone Hudhud battered Visakhapatnam in October last year and the relief measures launched immediately to restore normalcy came under high praise from several disaster management experts, including former Director-General of National Safety Council K.C. Gupta and FICCI Director Akhilesh Mahurkar.
Later, during an interaction with the media, Mr. Krishnan admitted that as part of cost-cutting measures, some industries were compromising on safety procedures. He said the regulatory agencies were taking action against erring managements as the government was committed to ensuring fool-proof safety.
Mr. Krishnan said the conference platform was significantly used by PNGRB for promoting natural gas distribution network and safe pipeline corridors in India.
AP Principal Secretary, Land and Disaster Management, J.C. Sharma, said, “A culture needs to be introduced for carrying out periodic safety audits, environmental audits and other safety studies like risk analysis, onsite and offsite emergency plan, health and safety policy.”
CIDM Chairman Lt. Gen. J.R. Bhardwaj mooted disaster management and emergency management of petroleum, petroleum products, and natural gas industry in public private partnership mode.
Steps taken to minimise human loss when cyclone Hudhud battered Vizag and relief measures launched to restore normalcy come in for praise
