Telangana Fire Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department director general Y.Nagi Reddy addressing the meeting organised by CII in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: Arrangement
Telangana Fire Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department director general Y.Nagi Reddy on Wednesday called for mandatory annual fire safety audits in industrial units, especially those in the pharma sector.
Addressing a conference on industrial safety in pharma and chemical manufacturing sector organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here, Mr.Reddy said this underscoring the importance of adhering to strict safety protocols, regardless of the scale or status of the organisations, towards preventing industrial accidents.
Industrial units must take “proactive responsibility by getting audits done and submitting them online. We will trust and verify,” he said, pointing out that Telangana witnessed 102 major fire incidents in pharma units over the last decade resulting in losses exceeding ₹100 crore.
Emphasising the importance of safety in pharmaceutical industry, he said safety should be integrated from the planning stage. He cited examples of potential hazards like improper building design and non-operational safety systems, organisers of the conference said in a release.
The department saved property worth ₹4,035 crore last year though ₹1,223 crore was still lost. Telangana currently operates 147 fire stations, including 38 in Hyderabad. Three fire-fighting robots have been deployed in Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal, with more to come.
Drones to be deployed
The department is also exploring drone capabilities and plans to induct women into fire services, following models in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, he said.
Citing Hyderabad’s leadership in pharma and biotech sectors and the presence of a large number of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved facilities in the city, Nikhil Chakravarthi, director, Commissionerate of Industries, said compliance should be part of the industry’s DNA, not just a one-time rule. He highlighted the potential of emerging technologies such as AI, IoT sensors, drones and digital twins to enhance industrial safety.
Other speakers in the inaugural session, including director of Factories B.Raja Gopala Rao and Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India director general K.Raja Bhanu, highlighted the importance of industrial units maintaining high safety standards.
Published – June 26, 2025 12:09 on is
