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Ammonia gas leak fallout: Doraha residents take refuge in gurdwaras
For residents of this otherwise sleepy town near Ludhiana, Friday night proved to be a nightmare. With teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with the police announcing from gurdwaras to evacuate their houses, panic-stricken residents vacated their houses looking for refuge.
For residents of this otherwise sleepy town near Ludhiana, Friday night proved to be a nightmare. With teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with the police announcing from gurdwaras to evacuate their houses, panic-stricken residents vacated their houses looking for refuge.
While many made gurdwaras on the highway their home for the night, others booked rooms in hotels in and around Khanna and Ludhiana. Hundreds spent the night on roads, sitting inside their vehicles.
After having neutralised the gas leaking from the tanker, the administration moved the tanker to a vacant land near Deep Nagar village, 3 km from Doraha, inviting the ire of residents living near Deep Nagar. Of the three chambers, two chambers of the tanker were emptied, while one chamber was still full of ammonia, triggering panic among the residents.
Forty-six ammonia-affected people were admitted to SPS Apollo Hospitals of whom three were declared brought dead. While 23 were still undergoing treatment, others had been discharged.
Sixteen victims were admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital of which 12 were being treated and four were under observation. The condition of six of them was reported to be critical.
Six persons were admitted to Mohan Dai Cancer Hospital. While three were still in the intensive care unit (ICU), one was shifted to a ward and two were discharged.
None of the 23 victims admitted to Christian Medical College and Hospital have been discharged yet. Five of them are in a critical condition.
Capt mourns death
State Congress leader Capt Amarinder Singh expressed grief over the death of five people following the gas leak at Doraha. Expressing sympathy with the bereaved families, he said that his party stood by them in this hour of grief. He also expressed concern over the lack of medical facilities in the area that delayed treatment of those affected by the gas leak. He demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation for the families of those killed in the tragedy.
