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Ludhiana: Newly-formed NGT panel visits Giaspura gas leak site
The new committee was constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in response to the dissatisfaction expressed by the NGT to the report submitted by the previous committee on the gas leak tragedy
Members of the newly constituted joint committee to probe the Giaspura tragedy on Friday visited households affected by the gas leak and collected samples from eight sewer manholes.
“The newly constituted NGT committee visited the area of the gas leak incident, conducting a thorough inspection and collecting samples from the manholes located nearby,” MC commissioner Sandeep Rishi said.
The Giaspura gas leak tragedy on April 30 had claimed 11 lives.
The new committee was constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in response to the dissatisfaction expressed by the NGT to the report submitted by the previous committee on the gas leak tragedy. With the formation of the new committee, a thorough investigation into the incident has been initiated again.
Officials from the municipal corporation, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and members of the NGT committee convened a meeting before visiting the site.
The committee members inspected the affected area, spoke to the residents, and collected samples from eight sewer manholes from where the PPCB and NDRF had collected samples on the day of the incident.
The post-mortem conducted earlier on the bodies had confirmed that the cause of the death was poisoning resulting from inhaling toxic gas.
A magisterial report was submitted by the deputy commissioner to a fact-finding committee two months after the incident. However, the chemical analysis of viscera samples, crucial for determining the exact type of intoxicant, remains pending at the chemical laboratory in Kharar, causing further anguish to the victims’ families. The magisterial probe report had also failed to hold any individual or entity accountable for the tragic incident.
The report was submitted to the NGT, indicating the cause of the incident as gas leak from the sewer line. The NGT, on October 10, found the reason unconvincing and formed a new committee to probe the incident.
CICU members meet NGT delegation
Members of Chamber of Industry and Commercial Undertaking (CICU) and industrialists of Jaspal Banger area met a delegation from the National Green tribunal delegation.
Upkar Singh, president CICU, stated that there was no evidence where industry can be held guilty for the gas leak incident as there were many facts which show no evidence found against the industry.
Industrialists stated that approximately 21 units are either closed or at verge of closure due to discontinuity of power or notice issued by the PPCB department.
Members of the CICU requested the NGT to advise concerned departments to release connection and not take any action until they are found guilty.
