Wednesday’s fire at Bharat Flexo Graphic Printing Inks at Jeedimetla Industrial Development Area has exposed gross violations of the unit. Sources said the factory was allegedly operating without permission from the Chief Inspector of Factories and without a clearance from the fire department. AP Pollution Control Board sources revealed the unit would not be allowed to operate for the time being and the waste water containing the fire retardant used for extinguishing flames was being sent to the effluent treatment plant at Jeedimetla.
“The gases released were mainly carbon dioxide and oxides of sulphur. However, these organic solvents got completely burnt at high temperatures. We have already monitored the pollution levels and in fact, there is no smell suggesting there is anything suspended in the air since the atmosphere was calm yesterday (Wednesday) with no turbulence”, said an official adding that the unit was reportedly flouting the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989, and there were no ground checks by the Factories Inspector or even the fire department, which should have gone for risk assessment.
The factor, however, had got a Consent For Establishment and Consent For Operation from APPCB.
Meanwhile, the death toll of the Shadnagar blast rose to six as three more employees, who had received burns in the incident, succumbed on Thursday in the Osmania General Hospital.