While highlighting Vadodara's vulnerability to an air attack, the former officer-in-charge of the Central Control Room told Express Newsline that the worst disaster for the city -- surrounded as it was by chemical and petrochemical industries -- would be the domino effect of a major industrial fire.

``The petrochemicals industry itself uses 60 types of disastrous substances which, if ignited together, can wipe out the city. If the wind conditions are favourable, a fire can engulf the entire industrial circle and may burn for months. Many toxic gases will also be released in the process'', he said.

Explaining the Maximum Credible Loss Scenario, Kulkarni said the fertilisers industry stocked up to 20,000 tonnes of ammonia. ``If this leaks, and the wind conditions are favourable, the toxic gas can asphyxiate people over a 10-km radius'', he said. Industrial LPG, which was odourless, was another grave threat, he added, citing the death of 37 people in an LPG-triggered explosion at the IPCL's Nagothane complex in 1990.

According to Kulkarni, the symbiotic relationship between local industries and the cost factor left them no alternative but to exist together. However, he dismissed as ``futile'' any industrial zoning exercise to prevent largescale loss of human life in a disaster.

``The industry cannot be held responsible for the colonies and villages in the refinery and petrochemical area. IPCL which built a colony away from the disaster zone for villagers of Dhanora, which lines its western gate. No one has occupied it as yet,'' he pointed out.

Holding the enforcement agencies squarely responsible for lapses in industrial safety, he said, ``When a plant close to Dhanora caught fire, people fled, only to return after some time. No government machinery tried to keep them away. The government has safeguarding agencies, but they work at cross-purposes, which is one of the reasons why safety is not a priority in a majority of industries.''

Creating awareness, bringing people together and preparedness were the need of the hour, according to Kulkarni. ``Maintenance and good housekeeping on part of industry can avert many accidents. However, complacency seems to be the order of the day,'' he said.

Fire safety, medical aids and evacuation facilities were pivotal in a disaster and this preparedness was crucial, said Kulkarni.

``We have to be ready for any eventuality. Disaster management aims at minimising loss of life and property but often lack of time and, more importantly, lack of knowledge prevents this. The principal resource of disaster management is an action plan which identifies risks, resources and sequence of actions'', he said, adding that the first off-set action plan in the country had been prepared by the Vadodara district collector in 1982.

Preparedness has to culminate in exercise, Kulkarni stressed, adding, ``The CCR should have thorough knowledge and control over things so that it can respond spontaneously to a crisis. But the CCR has hardly conducted any exercises since 1992. The more the exercise, the more the safety''.