Palghar The death toll in the Tarapur chemical factory explosion has now reached eight, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) recovering two more bodies on Saturday late at night from the site. The victims have been identified as Trinath Dasri, 40, and 13-year-old Khushi Yadav, who went missing after the blast, NDRF inspector Bipin Singh said. The NDRF on Sunday called off the rescue operations.
The factory – Ank Pharma – did not have the requisite permissions to operate, as its owner Natwarlal Patel, 55, had not applied for the licence and registration under the Factory Act, 1948, said Ashok Khot, deputy director of Directorate of Industrial Health and Safety (DISH), Vasai. He also claimed that the industrial unit did not have the approval from the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), Thane, to manufacture drugs in bulk quantities.
“Patel had only received the consent letter from the Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board but did not have the permissions from the other authorities,” said Khot.
He said a case will be registered with the Boisar MIDC police against Patel and the other directors of the firm. “We will conduct a detailed inquiry into the cause of the blast. But prima facie, it appears that hydrogen cylinders used for the reactor testing may have caused the explosion,” said Khot.
On Saturday, around 6.50pm, a massive explosion occurred during the testing of a new reactor at Ank Pharma, located at Tarapur chemical zone, killing six people, and injuring six others, including Patel. He is undergoing treatment at a private hospital at Mira Road and his condition is critical, a source from the hospital said.
Meanwhile, industries minister Subhash Desai visited the spot on Sunday afternoon to take a stock of the situation. “It is shocking that the unit didn’t have proper permissions and was testing the reactor without approvals. Also, the owner had rented some space in the factory to two families and the reactor was being tested next to it, resulting in the deaths of the three women tenants. We’ll not spare any officials if there are any lapses from their end,” said Desai.
Desai also said that he has been apprising chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray about the mishap. The CM will hold a meeting on Monday. “We will discuss on the formation of strong policy to prevent such mishaps at chemical plants in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas of Dombivli, Tarapur, Roha and other parts of the state. We will also decide if hazardous chemical plants must be even allowed to operate in the first place,” Desai said.”
