The Hindu Newspaper Analysis

Editorial Topic : Death at Work

 GS-3 Mains Exam : Economy

Revision Notes

Introduction

• Recent Industrial Accidents: A series of fatal accidents in Andhra Pradesh’s Atchutapuram Special Economic Zone (SEZ)  highlights the urgent need for improved industrial safety measures.
• Escientia Blast: A blast at Escientia’s pharma plant resulted in 17 deaths and numerous injuries.
• Other Incidents: A fire accident at a chemical factory and a previous explosion at a pharma plant in the same SEZ underscore the critical safety concerns.

About the Atchutapuram SEZ

• History of Accidents: The region has a history of industrial accidents, including a styrene monomer vapour leak that led to 12 deaths in 2020.
• Safety Concerns: These incidents raise questions about the state of industrial safety in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in SEZs.

Causes of the Blast

• MTBE (Methyl tert-butyl ether) Leak: The blast at Escientia was triggered by a leak of MTBE, a highly flammable chemical.
• Safety Protocols: The company’s failure to follow proper safety protocols for handling MTBE contributed to the accident.

Key Demands of Trade Unions

• Stringent Punishment: Trade unions demand strict penalties for companies that neglect safety standards.
• Safety Audits: They advocate for comprehensive safety audits of all industrial units in Andhra Pradesh.
• Government Inspections: Trade unions criticize the government’s exemption of SEZs from inspections, particularly for high-risk industries.
• Self-Certification: They oppose the practice of allowing medium-risk industries to self-certify their safety compliance.

Conclusion

• Government Initiatives: While government initiatives aim to facilitate ease of doing business, they must not compromise safety.
• Broader Probe: A thorough investigation is necessary to identify and address loopholes in the safety regulations.
• Deterrent Measures: Swift justice and punitive damages can serve as a deterrent against future safety violations.

 

The Hindu Newspaper Analysis

Editorial Topic : Intriguing Silence

 GS-2 Mains Exam : Health

Revision Notes

Introduction

• Recent Case: A case of acute flaccid paralysis, possibly due to polio, was reported in Meghalaya.
• Media Spotlight: The case has garnered significant media attention.

History of Detected Polio Cases

• Kolkata Case: In 2022, a case of vaccine-derived poliovirus (iVDPV) was detected in Kolkata.
• Meghalaya Case: There is no official confirmation of whether the Meghalaya case is due to vaccine-derived or wild poliovirus.
• Global Eradication: Wild poliovirus has been eradicated globally, except for a few cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Risk of Import: There is a risk of WPV being imported into India from neighboring countries.

Concerns Regarding Confirmation of Polio Cases and Its Types

• Vaccine-Derived: There is no official confirmation of whether the Meghalaya case is iVDPV or cVDPV.
• Virus Circulation: cVDPV indicates virus circulation in the community, while iVDPV is restricted to the immunodeficient child.
• No Official Report on Virus Type: The type of vaccine-derived virus causing the Meghalaya case is unknown.
• India’s Switch to Bivalent OPV: India switched to bivalent OPV in 2016, which only contains type 1 and type 3 viruses.
• Risk of Virus Import: There is a risk of cVDPV type 2 virus being imported into India.

Way Forward

• Expedite Virus Profiling: The ICMR-NIV Mumbai unit should expedite the virus profiling process to confirm the type of poliovirus.
• Switch to IPV: India should consider switching to inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) to eliminate the risk of vaccine-derived poliovirus.

Conclusion

• IPV as a Solution: IPV can help prevent polio cases in immunodeficient children, eliminating the need for OPV.
• Urgent Need for Switch: India should follow the lead of developed countries and switch to IPV as soon as possible.