NT NETWORK
Margao
A day after the leak of ammonia gas at a fish-processing unit at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate that claimed one life, local residents on Saturday raised questions on safety measures at all factories located in the estate.
Seeking a thorough investigation into the gas leak, the villagers reiterated their longstanding demand for a fire station
at Cuncolim.
Krishna Babundar Kumar, a 22-year-old worker suffocated to death and two others suffered serious asphyxiation after ammonia gas leaked on Friday from the fish-processing factory Quality Foods.
The Cuncolim police on Saturday filed an FIR against the Quality Foods factory under sections 304 and 337 of the Indian Penal Code in connection with the gas leak.
Councillor Shashank Desai of the Veroda ward of the Cuncolim municipal council demanded a thorough probe into the gas leak, and said that in the past workers had lost their lives in similar incidents.
He maintained that the gas leak incident points to the fact that safety measures have not been taken up, calling for inspections of the all factories by the authorities.
He reiterated the longstanding demand for the fire station in Cuncolim as the nearest fire station is in Margao, and fire tenders take at least 20 minutes to reach Cuncolim.
The councillor recalled that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had assured setting up of the fire station at a meeting held last year.
Sawant had also promised checks on pollution in groundwater, he said, adding that neither of the demand has been met.
A prominent resident of Cuncolim Dr Jorson Fernandes called for an interdepartmental approach
to prevent recurrence of any such disasters in the future.
“There should be an interdepartmental coordination between the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, the factories and boilers department and the Goa State Pollution Control Board to look into the aspects of safety, operations and health,” Dr Fernandes said.
It has to be ascertained whether or not a safety audit on the factory has been done. There must be an inquiry as to how workers were allowed to live in rooms so close to factories, he said.
According to the FIR lodged by police sub-inspector Arun Endro of the Cuncolim police, the management of Quality Foods acted in a negligent manner without taking proper care, caution and preventive measures in the factory, which led to the leakage of the ammonia gas from one of the valves of the pipelines attached to the refrigerator in the factory.
The gas leak severely affected Krishna Babundar Kumar, Amresh Kumar (26) and Mohan Kumar (21), who were asleep in a room of a nearby factory of Taparia Tools Ltd.
Krishna Babundar Kumar suffocated to death while the two others suffered serious asphyxiation, police said, adding that the injured workers have been admitted to the TB Hospital, Panaji.
