Hyderabad: The Telangana Pollution Control Board (PCB) has ordered the closure of Nosch Labs’ bulk drug manufacturing unit at Chityal in Nalgonda district following a reactor explosion that killed one employee and injured five others.The accident occurred on May 1 in production block-3 during charging operations for Lansoprazole Sulfide in reactor SSR-2. Senior chemist Boddu Bala Krishna died in the blast, while shift in-charge Linga Swamy, helper David, senior chemists Shankar and Lokeshwara Rao, and chemist Hari Prasad sustained injuries.Following an inspection, PCB officials found the company had failed to follow adequate safety measures and violated consent conditions and previous board directions. Officials also observed that chemically contaminated firefighting water was diverted into an earthen trench instead of a designated collection tank.The board noted that no environmental staff from the company were present during the inspection, though plant head Prabhakar Reddy was at the site.PCB further found that the company had failed to report an earlier accident on April 9, caused by static electricity, in which two workers were injured.On May 7, the board issued closure orders and directed TGSPDCL to disconnect power supply. The company was also instructed to immediately halt operations and dispose of contaminated wastewater and debris at authorised treatment facilities.PCB warned that any violation of the closure order would invite prosecution and imprisonment.
