Ludhiana gas leak: High levels of hydrogen sulfide was a trigger, says NDRF; locals fume over lack of safety

The blast that killed 11 people and injured another 11 alarmed the administration and raised a few questions about the administration's preparedness to ensure safety measures in the industrial area. Meanwhile, the authorities after the disaster struck the area stepped up efforts to ensure the safety of people through built-tightening measures.

Ludhiana: The NDRF officials investigating the Giaspura gas leak are certain that the release of high levels of hydrogen sulfide which emanated from a sewer was the trigger that caused the tragedy but locals are at a loss to understand why there was a lack of measures to avert such a disaster in the thickly-populated area.

The blast that killed 11 people and injured another 11 alarmed the administration and raised a few questions about the administration's preparedness to ensure safety measures in the industrial area. Meanwhile, the authorities after the disaster struck the area stepped up efforts to ensure the safety of people through built-tightening measures.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the impact of high-level hydrogen sulfide gas caused the disaster. Caustic soda is being used to reduce the effect of gas in the sewage by the disaster response team. Administrative officials are monitoring the activities on an hourly basis. Officials said they are applying all means to understand if the gas leak occurred due to sewage. Besides, they are also trying to know if it happened due to the negligence of the factory owner. They are continuously checking the gas emanating from the sewage for the next 24 hours. They are trying to measure the extent of gas release to ascertain if it is increasing or decreasing.

Two teams of NDRF are continuously engaged in the work. A team has been urgently called from Bathinda. According to a senior NDRF official, such an incident does not happen often. Sewage contains gas, but the degree of such a high level of gas has baffled him. He said that there was no window for ventilation in the house where all the residents have died in their sleep. A high level of gas was found in the house.

The Ludhiana administration has cautioned people against coming out of their houses. The possibility of polluted air has posed health risks for the people. According to environmentalists, the ill impacts of gas on the brain are a major worry. Local people are fearing health hazards as hydrogen sulfide gas causes numbness in the brain. There are also a large number of factories situated in the area. Hydrogen sulfide is often found in sewage, but not in quantities that are harmful to humans.