NGO flags safety risks at Sigachi units in Gujarat, seeks preventive action post Hyderabad tragedy

In the aftermath of a deadly explosion at a Sigachi Industries plant in Hyderabad that killed 54 people, NGO Scientists for People has escalated its advocacy by writing to key government officials in Gujarat and the Union Government.

Sangareddy: Scientists for People, the NGO that filed a PIL in the Telangana High Court seeking compensation for families of those killed in the Sigachi Industries explosion in Hyderabad, has now written to the Union and Gujarat governments, urging immediate safety inspections at the company’s two units in Gujarat to prevent a repeat of the June 30 tragedy.

The NGO addressed its letter to the Director General of Factory Advice Service and Labour Institute Alok Mishra, Gujarat Principal Secretary Vinod Rao, and Director of Industrial Safety and Health PM Shah. It flagged concerns that no publicly available evidence suggests the company has taken enhanced safety measures or conducted any risk assessments at its Gujarat-based microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) manufacturing units after the Hyderabad blast, which claimed 54 lives and injured many others.

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Scientists for People stated that there is also no indication that state authorities in Gujarat have initiated inspections or mandated any specific actions to ensure operational safety and environmental safeguards at these units.

In the wake of the Hyderabad blast, the NGO called on both the management of Sigachi Industries and the Gujarat government to classify microcrystalline cellulose as a combustible dust and undertake a comprehensive Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) at the Gujarat plants. The DHA, they said, would help identify and mitigate risks that could otherwise lead to catastrophic incidents.

The NGO expressed serious concern over what it termed as the “lack of visible and proactive response” from both Sigachi Industries and the Gujarat government. It warned that such oversight could endanger the lives of workers, nearby residents, and the environment. It also stressed that the Hyderabad incident must serve as a wake-up call for stringent preventive action across all operational sites of Sigachi Industries.