APPCB directs Porus Lab to stop production

Visakhapatnam: Four days after a hazardous gas leakage forced over 350 women workers to flee from Brandix India Apparel City (BIAC) with most of them hospitalised with complaints of vomiting, dizziness and severe stomach ache, the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) on Tuesday issued a 'stop-production' order to Porus Laboratories Private Limited, located at AP Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) at Atchutapuram in Anakapalle district.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the gas leaked from an unknown industrial unit and it got accumulated in four AC ducts of Seeds Intimate Apparel India Private Limited, a company under operation at BIAC. Brandix Lanka through its Indian arm has developed one of the largest single location intimate apparel production units in an area of 1,000 acres with a women workforce of 18,000.

The Brandix management denied the origin of the hazardous gas from one of its units though all the affected persons belonged to its campus. Immediately after the incident, initial reports described the leaked gas as ammonia. There were also conflicting reports that the gas originated from Seeds Intimate Apparel/Porus Lab.

Asked to comment on the 'stop-production' order issued to Porus Laboratories Private Limited, APPCB Chairman AK Parida told Bizz Buzz that "as a matter of extreme precaution, they have taken the step after preliminary assessment of the situation."

He said final action will be taken based on the recommendation of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad. Samples have been sent to IICT to ascertain the type of plant which caused the gas leak. Porus manufactures APIs, pharmaceutical intermediates and speciality chemicals.

Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath, experts' committee members Prof. Rajendra Prasad and Prof. J.P. Rao, Anakapalle MP B.V. Satyavathi, District Collector Ravi Pattansetti and SP Gautami Shali visited the gas affected area and Common Effluent Treatment Plant at APSEZ, Atchutapuram on Monday. The Minister later said they will take stringent action based on the findings of IICT and experts' committee.

Visakhapatnam and APSEZ have 432 red category industries of which 132 are pharmaceutical companies.

Frequent industrial accidents have raised public concern in Visakhapatnam and its neighbourhood. Visakhapatnam has turned into AP's largest pharmaceutical cluster. During a recent meeting, the Industries Minister said they will review the environmental safety measures being adopted by all the hazardous industries from case-to-case basis and initiate remedial measures to prevent recurrence of accidents.