Balasore: Following public outrage, Odisha Labour Minister Sushant Singh has ordered for a probe into the leakage of toxic gas at a prawn processing factory at Panapana in Khantapada area of Balasore district.
According to the workers, more than 100 persons working at the factory fell ill and were hospitalized after the leakage of toxic gas Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, the minster visited the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) where he found the victims are undergoing treatment.
A case has been registered in Khantapada police station in connection with leakage of harmful gas in the factory and a special forensic team has been sent to assist in the investigation, Director General of Police (DGP), BK Sharma said.
Seven officials of the plant have been detained for questioning. A six-member team of forensic experts have reached the spot as part of the investigation, he said.
Around 100 people, mostly women, fell sick after toxic gas leaked from the prawn processing plant in Khantapada area on Wednesday night. The affected people were taken to the Khantapada primary health centre and most of them were later shifted to the district headquarters hospital here, an official said.
District Collector K Sudarsan Chakrabarty and SP B Jugalkishore who visited the plant and hospital also said the condition of all the affected people was stable and many of them have been discharged from hospital after proper treatment.
IG of Police (Eastern Range), Diptesh Pattanayak, said the factory has been sealed and inquiry into the incident has started to ascertain the circumstances that led to the mishap.
State Labour Minister Susant Singh visited the hospital and said the priority is to ensure safety of affected people and their recovery.
The minister said the Labour Commissioner will investigate into the incident and will also find out whether children were engaged in the factory.
“Stern action will be taken against those responsible for the accident,” Singh said.
It appears that the workers were taken ill due to chlorine gas, but things will be clear after a thorough investigation, the Collector said.
According to the police, the incident took place at around 9 pm when the gas leaked from the plant located at Panapana, mostly affecting workers of the factory who complained of breathing problems.
Terming the incident as unfortunate, owner of the private seafood processing unit, Tara Patnaik said he was praying for the speedy recovery of those affected.
Patnaik claimed that there was no gas leak from the plant and the incident happened due to bleaching materials stored in the factory for processing.
Seafood, mostly prawn, are being processed at the plant and sent for exports after packaging, sources said.
PNN/Agencies