It has been almost two years since the Probase chemical company blast took place in Dombivali, which killed 12 and injured over 200 people and one year since the inquiry committee submitted its report and recommendations to the government. Apart from compensating the dead and the injured, none of the recommendations have been implemented yet.
On May 26, 2016 a blast took place at Probase chemical company in Dombivali’s MIDC area. The explosion was due to a huge stock of Propargyl chloride which got ignited due to sparks from on-going welding work in the company’s premises. It not only affected those working in and around the company, but also the residential area which is hardly 100 metres away.
An inquiry committee under the chairmanship of Thane Collector Dr Mahendra Kalyankar submitted its report in July 2017 and made several recommendations. Some of the recommendations made by the committee include shifting the chemical companies in Dombivali to a designated zone. Other recommendations include creating a buffer zone between major accident hazard companies and residential areas.
During the incident many residents in the surrounding areas also suffered damage of property. As such, over 2,555 punchnamas were made and a compensation of Rs 7.43 crore was to be given from the chief minister’s relief fund was also talked about at that time. “Till now only the families of the 12 deceased have been paid a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each,” says Prasad Ukirde Patil, sub-divisional officer, Thane District Collectorate, Kalyan. “And we have paid the medical bills of Rs 26 lakh of over 200 injured who were treated in private hospitals,” he said.
He specified that none of the residents have been compensated for damage to their properties.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PANEL
- There should be notified area for chemical factories handling, using and storing hazardous and explosive chemicals within particular industrial area
- All the existing encroachment in and around Dombivali industrial area to be removed
- Buffer zone of vacant land in huge area preferably with tree plantation shall be maintained in between industrial and residential area
- No residential plots shall be allotted in the MIDC area where hazardous, flammable or explosive chemicals are used, handled, stored or transported
- Set up national chemical centre (NCC) responsible for working on legislation on chemical inventory as well as monitoring their use and storage. Any new chemical shall not be manufactured or imported without systematic registration process
- Government to evolve a system of providing information to concerned authorities like explosives department, pollution control board, Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, etc., about the supply of hazardous chemicals by dealers/traders to different manufactures in respective areas
