Editorial
Relocation of risky chemical depots
Govt should stand firm on its decision
THE Industry Minister Dilip Barua has asked in no uncertain terms the businesspeople of Old Dhaka to relocate their warehouses for dangerous chemicals by the 17th of this month. We appreciate this position of zero-tolerance on the part of the government about depots of risky chemical at crowded places like Old Dhaka where residential quarters, shops, workshops of different kinds and markets coexist in close proximity to one another.
It is precisely two months after the worst fire in recent memory from a warehouse of highly flammable chemicals at Nimtoli in older part of the city that took some 118 lives and destroyed properties worth tens of millions of taka that the industry minister has issued this directive.
It may be recalled here that the Nimtoli inferno was triggered by the explosion of combustible substances kept in a depot placed at the basement of a residential building. And the immediate cause of the explosion was most likely the heat produced by big ovens being used by chefs preparing food for the guests at a wedding party taking place in that residential building. The flames from the ovens first heated up the building's walls, which in turn ignited the combustible chemicals through radiation thus setting off the big fire.
Though the horror of that fire still haunts the Dhaka residents, the warehouses containing the dangerous chemicals are still there. Immediately after the fire, the residents of the affected area as well as others including the authorities concerned did press for removing the chemical depots at a safer place.
So, the minister's call to remove the depots of risky chemicals should be heeded by the chemical traders as well as the plastic factory owners, who are the main users of the chemicals. And their request for more time hardly makes sense, since even so many days after that heartbreaking experience, we have not seen any serious initiative from the dealers in such deadly cargo to shift their activities to a location away from crowded localities. In any case, the relocation has to be a time-bound affair.
However, it is noteworthy that the government as stated by the state minister for law, who spoke at the same occasion that the industry minister was addressing, will be providing a guideline for the business houses concerned on the type of chemical warehouses that need to be relocated to a safer site. Now it is upon the government to basically spell out the guidelines as early as possible.
It is hoped that the government will stand firm on its decision. At the same time, it would do well to help warehouse owners select safe spots for relocation and also provide businesses in question with other support as necessary.
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