Giaspura tragedy: Ludhiana police constitute SIT to check factories dumping chemical waste into sewerage lines

Nikhil Bhardwaj

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Ludhiana, May 1

In the gas leak case at Giaspura here that killed 11 people on Sunday, the Ludhiana police have formed a five-member Special Investigation Team to investigate the role of industrial units that have been dumping chemical waste into sewerage lines.

It is suspected that some industrial unit might have dumped the toxic chemical into the manhole that caused deaths.

Police Commissioner Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the SIT would be headed by DCP Investigation Harmeet Singh Hundal, and would comprise ADCP Suhail Qassim, ADCP Tushar Gupta, ACP and the area SHO.

The SIT will check the industrial units and their waste chemical disposal system lines.

“There have been reports that some industrial units have been dumping chemical waste into the sewerage lines for long. If this is true, the role of the PPCB will come under the scanner. If an official is found guilty, he will face action,” added Sidhu.

Meanwhile, Ludhiana DC Surbhi Malik said the samples of some factories had been taken and these would be matched with the samples of the manhole of Giaspura. Reports are likely by Monday evening.

The DC said since there is a significant decline in the hydrogen sulphide level in the manhole, authorities have decreased the cordoned area from 250 metres to 25 metres.

Meanwhile, Deputy commandant, 13th battalion, Dev Raj, said, “The latest measurement of several manholes at Giaspura by the NDRF with the gas measurement device shows that the level of hydrogen sulphide has come down to zero. At the time of the incident, it was said to be between 400 and 500 particulate per minute.”