Paradeep Industrial Pocket reignites safety drive with local crisis group meeting after seven years

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

PARADEEP, DECEMBER 17, 2025

In a decisive move to reinforce industrial safety and emergency response mechanisms, the Local Crisis Group (LCG) of the Paradeep Industrial Pocket convened a high-level meeting on Monday, at the Circuit House, Paradeep. The meeting, held after a long hiatus since 2018, marked a renewed commitment by district authorities and industry stakeholders to safeguard lives, infrastructure, and the environment in one of Odisha’s most critical industrial hubs.

The meeting was chaired by Niranjan Behera, Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Paradeep, and coordinated by Chandra Shekhar Behera, Member Secretary of the LCG and Assistant Director of Factories & Boilers, Paradeep Zone.

Senior officials and key stakeholders participated, including Manoj Kumar Panda, Deputy Director of Factories & Boilers, Cuttack Division; Abhisek Panda, Executive Officer, Paradeep Municipality; representatives from Biju Memorial Hospital; the Station Officer of Kujang Fire Station; executives from all nine Major Accident Hazard (MAH) factories; representatives from seven Category 2CB factories; and other LCG members.

The core objective of the meeting — presented through a detailed PowerPoint presentation — was to strengthen district-level emergency preparedness, review existing safety measures in chemical industries, and enhance coordination among government agencies, emergency services, and industrial units.

The proceedings began with a welcome address by the Assistant Director of Factories & Boilers, Paradeep Zone-cum-Member Secretary, followed by opening remarks from the ADM.

A keynote address by the Deputy Director of Factories & Boilers, Cuttack Division, set the tone for focused deliberations on risk management and crisis response.

During the session, the Member Secretary elaborated on the objectives and statutory role of the Local Crisis Group. Representatives from three MAH units — IFFCO, Paradeep Phosphates Limited (PPL), and IOCL Refinery — along with one Category 2CB factory, AMNS, presented their respective hazard scenarios, emergency response systems, and mitigation facilities. These presentations prompted in-depth discussions on preparedness gaps, inter-agency coordination, and best practices in industrial safety.

In his concluding remarks, ADM Niranjan Behera emphasized the urgency of translating discussions into action, directing all members to implement the agreed action points and strengthen coordination to ensure continuous preparedness against industrial emergencies.

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by R.K. Swain, Chief Safety Officer, IFFCO, underscoring the collective resolve of authorities and industries to work together for a safer Paradeep Industrial Pocket.

The revival of the LCG meeting after seven years is being seen as a significant milestone in reinforcing Paradeep’s industrial safety framework and disaster preparedness strategy.