India's minister for Labour Bache Gowda has said that more needs to be done to address the issue of workplace accidents in Karnataka state, where more than 1,000 industrial workplaces are considered hazardous. The minister, using the 1984 Bhopal gas leak as an example of how important it is to adhere to proper safety procedures, said that those in the fuel business, particularly where handling petroleum fuel products is involved, are often most at risk. More than half a million people were exposed to poisonous methyl isocyanate during the Bhopal disaster.
“As society has advanced, the potential of damage that can be done by man-made disasters has grown proportionally,†explained the minister, who was speaking to an audience in Mangalore, the chief port city of Karnataka state. “Preventative measures are the need of the hour. There should be awareness about handling and storing chemicals, the use of the right equipment, developing safety managements and preparing workers in dealing with emergencies.â€
The seminar was held to mark Chemical Disaster Prevention Day, which was established in memory of the Bhopal disaster.