Jalandhar: Probe report pins blame on factory owner, staff for ammonia gas leak

The investigation into the ammonia gas leak at Jain Ice Factory here on September 21 — which had claimed the life of a worker —has pinned the blamed on the owner and it employees.

The probe report submitted by SDM Jalandhar-1 Randeep Singh Heer to Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal did not name any official or government department for laxity in ensuring regulatory checks.

The probe report highlighted glaring safety lapses at the factory located on Old Railway Road near the Damoria flyover.

The report said the incident was caused by an open drain valve that was connected to the factory’s refrigeration system. It said the employee handling the valve was untrained and also lacked essential safety gear.

Proper protocols, including the requirement of two trained employees to operate the valve safely, were not followed, leading to the fatal incident, it added.

The probe points to several lapses, including outdated technology, lack of worker training and absence of safety equipment as reasons behind the incident.

Factory employees reportedly worked without basic protective gear, relying on slippers instead of proper safety kits.

The refrigeration system, which relied on the manual drain valve, posed a high risk, while modern systems regulating gas pressure could have prevented the accident, the report said.

While the police have registered a case against unidentified officials of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, Industry and Pollution Departments, and Punjab State Power Corporation, the SDM’s findings hold only the factory owner, Ninni Kumar Jain, and the employees responsible.

The report said the factory had a ‘consent to establish’ but lacked the mandatory ‘consent to operate’. It also noted that the factory had been running unchecked for years due to a lack of inspections by the regulatory authorities.

Suggesting preventive measures, the report recommended safety audit for older factories and the mandatory adoption of modern technologies to replace outdated manual systems.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said he is yet to review the report but all findings will be thoroughly examined by him.