Opposition parties cashed in on the situation and slammed the state government for its “failure” to prevent such mishaps.
Visakhapatnam: Around 95 workers of an apparel making unit in the Brandix Special Economic Zone at Atchyutapuram near Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam fell sick after a mysterious gas leak. Officials said those who fell ill are being treated in different hospitals in Anakapalli, Atchyutapuram and Visakhapatnam and are stable.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties cashed in on the situation and slammed the state government for its “failure” to prevent such mishaps. The government is yet to issue a statement on the issue.
Around 95 workers fell sick and complained of nausea and vomiting after they reportedly inhaled a pungent gas that filled the air at the manufacturing unit Tuesday night.
This is the second such incident in the same place since June 3, when more than 300 women workers fell unconscious after complaining of eyesore, nausea and vomiting. The state government has not made public a report submitted by a team of experts from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology in Hyderabad on the June 3 gas leak. A report by the district joint collector of Anakapalli was also not revealed.
After the June 3 incident, it was suspected that ammonia gas had leaked from nearby Porus Laboratories unit. The lab was shut down for a few days after the mishap but soon after, it resumed activities.
In a statement, the Seeds Intimate Apparel India Private Ltd, where the two incidents took place, said the “affected associates” are in a stable condition. “A few of our associates complained of an unpleasant odour in the atmosphere and, as a result, some of them were taken to the closest hospital for medical precaution. The affected associates are in a stable condition,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, MLC and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary Nara Lokesh said the Jagan Mohan Reddy government is not waking up from its deep slumber although such mishaps are occurring repeatedly.
State BJP president Somu Veerraju slammed the government and said, “Has the government given up its responsibility of overseeing industrial safety?”