India urgently needs a National Chemicals Code

Source: The post “India urgently needs a National Chemicals Code” has been created based on “India urgently needs a National Chemicals Code” published in “Hindustan Times” on 21st September 2026.

UPSC Syllabus: GS-2-Governance

Context: India’s chemical sector is expanding rapidly, but its regulatory framework remains fragmented across different ministries and laws. Recent industrial accidents in Tiruvallur, Surat and Visakhapatnam have exposed gaps in coordination, maintenance, emergency preparedness and chemical regulation.

Major Challenges

1. Fragmented regulatory structure
   1. Industrial safety is handled by the Ministry of Labour and state factory inspectorates.
   2. Hazardous substances come under MoEF&CC.
   3. Chemicals and fertilisers are handled by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.
   4. Transport safety falls under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
   5. Chemical weapons compliance is handled by the National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention.
   6. This creates multiple authorities with different rules, lists and enforcement mechanisms.
2. Different definitions of hazardous chemicals
   1. Different laws classify chemicals according to different criteria such as industrial accident potential, toxicity, dual-use potential and waste-disposal risk.
   2. Consequently, the same chemical may be regulated under one framework but remain outside another.
3. Weak emergency preparedness
   1. Emergency responders may not have access to real-time chemical inventories.
   2. Lack of standardised emergency protocols can delay coordinated action.
   3. In Tiruvallur, authorities had to coordinate among several agencies during emergencies.
4. Ageing industrial infrastructure
   1. Ageing machinery, inadequate maintenance and insufficient training increase the possibility of industrial accidents.
5. Risks during transportation
   1. Nearly 60% of India’s chemical cargo moves by road.
   2. Poor labelling, inadequate driver training and absence of effective tracking increase transportation risks.
   3. Between 2018 and 2022, hazardous-goods vehicles were involved in more than 4,000 road accidents.
6. Chemical safety and security overlap
   1. Certain sensitive chemicals are governed separately under frameworks dealing with chemical weapons, narcotic precursors, industrial safety and hazardous substances.
   2. Lack of coordination can create security and regulatory grey areas.

Need for a Unified Framework

1. National Chemicals Code: A unified code can harmonise definitions, reporting thresholds, safety standards and enforcement mechanisms across ministries.
2. National Chemical Authority: A dedicated authority can provide single-point coordination for chemical safety and security.
3. Integrated emergency response
   1. Chemical inventories should be digitally available to district authorities and first responders.
   2. Emergency planning should involve all relevant agencies through common protocols.
4. Safer chemical transportation: Mandatory GPS tracking, driver certification and strict penalties can improve monitoring of hazardous cargo.
5. Technology-based regulation: Digital inventories, digital twins and real-time tracking can improve monitoring and preparedness.
6. Risk-based inspections: Industrial facilities should move towards risk-based digital inspections rather than fragmented regulatory compliance.

Conclusion: India needs to move from fragmented chemical regulation to an integrated safety and security framework. A National Chemicals Code, coordinated institutional mechanism, technology-based monitoring and integrated emergency planning can help protect workers, communities, the environment and national security.

Question: India’s fragmented chemical governance framework poses serious challenges to industrial safety, emergency response and national security. Discuss the need for a unified chemical governance architecture in India.

 Source: Hindustan Times