Special Investigation Team Formed to Investigate Giaspura Gas Leak Tragedy that Killed 11

Ludhiana police has formed a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to find out the role of industrial units in chemical waste that lead to the recent death of 11 people in Giaspura. As per a new report, samples have been collected from some factories and they will be matched with the samples from the Giaspura incident.

On Sunday last week, it was reported that 11 people had died due to a gas leak in Giaspura. Reportedly, some industrial units in the area were dumping their toxic chemical waste into the manhole that caused the deaths. To investigate, Ludhiana police has formed a five-member SIT will be headed by DCP Investigation Harmeet Singh Hundal, and would comprise ADCP Suhail Qassim, ADCP Tushar Gupta, ACP, and the area SHO.

Police Commissioner Mandeep Singh Sidhu, who shared the news, said, “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.”

According to Ludhiana DC Surbhi Malik, samples of some factories have been taken and will be matched with the samples taken from the manhole. Originally, a 250-meter area around the manhole was cordoned off but as per Malik, there has been a significant decline in the hydrogen sulfide level in the manhole and the cordoned area has been reduced to 25 meters.

Furthermore, Deputy commandant of 13th battalion, Dev Raj, added that the latest measurement of several manholes at Giaspura by the NDRF showed that the level of hydrogen sulfide has come down to zero. He added that at the time of the incident, it was reportedly between 400 and 500 particulate per minute.

Vineet Washington