A pharmaceutical factory in Lahore suffered from a boiler explosion and as a consequence more than 17 people died at the spot with the building smashed. Lahore has seen many deaths due to the spurious drugs in the past few days and this is the latest calamity to befall the unfortunate metropolis.
Why did this accident take place? Were there any safety measures? Was there any implementation of standards or protocol? What about the blow-off valve? Was it working or not?
A proper investigation must be conducted in this regard, but it is doubtful whether our government will do so.
Pakistan boiler inspector qualification programme is not up to the mark. They are implementing hundred year old methodologies which are almost outdated. Developed nations are now utilising ASME (American Standard for Mechanical Engineering) boiler and pressure vessels standards or other international standards. These are said to be the most reliable ones and are reviewed every three years by technical committees.
Since life is really cheap in Pakistan and the industrial standard is to get maximum leverage out of minimum money spent, we know that the culprits might not be caught. No headway has been made in the spurious drugs case as it imlicates many powerful people. Will this case meet the same fate?
Though we know that there have never been any investigations for any mishap, accident or other politically manoeuvred bloodbath in various cities, still we need to pressurise the authorities to look into this matter and force them to come up with a proper report so as to avoid such accidental disasters in future.
ENGINEER S M WAQAS IMAM
Karachi
