Noxious Gases Issue in India [UPSC Notes]

In Ludhiana, Punjab, toxic gas in the air left 11 people dead on 30 April 2023. In this context, it is important to understand the issue of noxious or toxic emissions in India and what can be done to curb the occurrence of such mishaps. This topic is relevant for the IAS exam environment as well as health segments.

Industrial Disasters in India Incidents

• The incident in Ludhiana:
  • While the investigation is still ongoing, initial inquiries suggest that certain acidic waste from a factory, which was discharged into a drain, may have generated hydrogen sulfide that reacted with methane and other sewage gases.
• An unmonitored unit of LG Polymer India released dangerous styrene vapours in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh in 2020, resulting in the loss of multiple lives.
• The Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984 is widely regarded as the most catastrophic industrial disaster that India has ever experienced.

Issues in the Present System:

• Flouting of safety regulations: Although there are safety regulations in place, there have been too many instances where these regulations were not followed properly, resulting in fatal consequences.
  • Industrial waste is being surreptitiously discharged into drains or rivers across different regions of India, which could pose several risks to both humans and aquatic creatures.
    • The Ganga and Yamuna demonstrate how industrial waste has rendered the water of these rivers unsuitable for purposes and this has been accepted as commonplace by numerous generations.
• Strong enforcement: The existence of the regulations is not enough to instil confidence in their enforcement. There is a disconnect between what is written on paper and what happens in reality.
  • There are concerns about the ability of powerful businesses to escape punishment for their actions. 
    • This concern has been present since at least the Bhopal gas tragedy, wherein the Chairman of Union Carbide avoided prosecution in India and compensation for victims was difficult to obtain, and only in 2010 were eight people convicted for negligence.
    • This delay and leniency set a bad example for holding a guilty business accountable.

Way forward:

• Auditing of waste disposal practices:
  • It would be beneficial to examine waste disposal practices across the entire country to identify and rectify any casual attitudes towards safety.
  • The disposal practices that do not conform to the usual standards should be subjected to strict enforcement measures.
• Accountability: The fact that gases are invisible makes it even more important for those responsible for their release to be held accountable for any harm caused.
• Justice: Justice must be served in cases of industrial disasters, and businesses should be held accountable for their actions.
• As India is promoting ‘Make in India’ and seeking to increase manufacturing, the risk of deadly accidents cannot be ignored. Tight vigilance is needed to prevent errors and maintain safety.

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