New Delhi, Oct. 10 -- The government has overhauled more than four-decade-old safety codes that govern the production, handling, and storage of hazardous chemicals, as it seeks to strengthen industrial safety and prevent chemical-related tragedies in the country.

As part of the revamp, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has introduced new national norms covering benzene, toluene, xylene (BTX), chlorine tablets, and radiological monitoring.

The decision comes amid rising concern over chemical misuse and public safety, following a series of fatal incidents-from the nitrogen gas leak at a pharmaceutical unit in Palghar, Maharashtra, to the recent deaths caused by toxic chemical contamination in cough syrups.

The BIS's decision to revise...