Number of gas leak incidents rose to 30 in 2023; maximum in Gujarat

New Delhi: The number of gas and chemical leakage accidents in India more than doubled to 30 in the last decade, with Gujarat accounting for majority of the incidents in 2023, according to data presented in Parliament on Friday, December 2o.

In 2013, the number of such accidents were only 13, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Gujarat reported 24 of the 30 incidents in 2023, followed by Uttar Pradesh with three cases, Assam (2), and Goa (1), resulting in 25 fatalities and 32 injuries.

This marks a significant increase from 2013, when 13 incidents were reported nationwide, resulting in 11 deaths and one injury. The cases were spread across Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, with Telangana recording six incidents.

The government has implemented several preventive measures, including enhanced provisions under the Factories Act, 1948, National Disaster Management Guidelines for Chemical Disasters, updated National Disaster Management Plan from 2019 and mandatory safety regulations under the Environment Protection Act.

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has initiated training programmes focused on chemical and petrochemical industrial safety for major accident hazard units across the country.

Additionally, Ministry of Environment has developed an integrated guidance framework for chemical safety, mandating regular inspections of industrial sites and emergency preparedness plans.