'Megahazards': The New Threat A Sushil Kumar THE last two decades have witnessed the rapid expansion of the oil and the chemical industry. The country has seen the emergence of huge petroleum installations and refineries, giant petrochemical complexes and a wide range of chemical industries. These include basic chemicals. agro-chemicals, pharmaceuticals, insecticides, dyestuffs, solvents and organic chemicals, alkalies and inorganic acids, plastics, paints, soaps, detergents, etc. Most of these industries involve large-scale operations. Apart from involving huge capital investments, they represent new types of hazards which pose a threat not just to the plant; but to the environment also.
