Two blasts at two units involved in the manufacture of explosives in two industrially advanced states on two consecutive days — February 28 and March 1 — killing over 40 people, are highly distressing and highlight poor regulatory oversight of units dealing with hazardous materials.
The blast at the Suryashree Fire Works factory at Vetlapalem in Andhra Pradesh is said to have occurred while workers were mixing chemicals, while the cause of the blast at mining and industrial explosives manufacturer SBL Energy Limited at Raulgaon in Nagpur district, Maharashtra, is yet to be ascertained.
According to data from the Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI), three people died and 11 were injured each day between 2017 and 2020. Over 250 major explosions were reported between 2023 and 2025. A large number of accidents occurred in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where most chemical factories are located.
The most likely causes of explosions reportedly include manual mixing of hazardous chemicals, the use of cheap and highly reactive aluminium powder, the accumulation of combustible dust in poorly ventilated rooms, inadequately trained workers, and the illegal storage of explosives beyond permissible limits.
These triggers could have been prevented, saving the lives of hundreds of people, if manufacturers had followed due processes or if the government had strengthened its regulatory mechanisms. However, except for paying lip service after blasts and announcing ex gratia to victims, no major follow-up action has been taken by governments to prevent blatant violations of safe manufacturing protocols.
Dismal working conditions in factories are one of the reasons that make Indians look down upon careers in manufacturing compared to jobs in the service sector. Unless the manufacturing sector becomes safe, no amount of Make in India push from the government will attract the cream of Indian talent to manufacturing industries, which is crucial for job creation and economic growth in the country.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
