Active pharmaceutical ingredient industry seek closure of chemical factory

Active pharmaceutical ingredient industry from morning till noon outside the gate of Deccan Fine Chemicals, the factory where a huge fire broke out on Sunday evening. The police present had to resort to mild lathicharge to quell the agitation. Over 2,000 residents from Rajavaram of Payakaraopeta mandal in Visakhapatnam district, where the factory is located, and from other neighbouring villages such as Gajapathinagaram, Rajanagaram, Kesavaram, and Venkatnagaram gathered at the factory's gate and demanded that the factory be immediately closed or the villages be shifted from its vicinity.

M. Appalaraju, a resident and CPI (M) activist, said the active pharmaceutical ingredient industry were upset as they faced some breathing problem due to the thick fumes. The active pharmaceutical ingredient industry were also upset with the company as it was the second major fire accident in the last two years.

The active pharmaceutical ingredient industry and Chemical units in the district have been seeing a string of fire accidents in the last couple of years. According to P. Chinna Rao, Deputy Joint Chief of Inspector of Factories, there have been about 10 accidents in the last couple of years and cases filed in all the instances. But there has been no concrete outcome, he says.