Ludhiana Gas Leak Tragedy Calls for Immediate Action Towards Stronger Industrial Safety Measures.
The Ludhiana gas leak tragedy is a wake-up call for the authorities to take immediate and effective measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. It is time to prioritize the safety and well-being of citizens over the interests of the industrial sector. Only then can we prevent tragedies like this from happening again.
Giaspura, a densely populated area, is home to many migrants and hosts both industrial and residential buildings. The individuals affected by the gas leak were from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and had been residing in Ludhiana.
Gross negligence of authorities
The recent gas leak tragedy in Ludhiana, which claimed the lives of 11 people, including five members of a family from Bihar, highlights the gross negligence of the authorities responsible for ensuring the safety of citizens.
Kavilash’s paternal uncle Dr Satyendra Kumar said he had a Bachelor’s degree in dental surgery. “Kavilash had come to Ludhiana 28 years ago in search of a better future after completing his course in Gaya, Bihar. He hailed from Manjiyaama village. He started his practice in Giaspura from a rented accommodation. Later, he got married to Varsha and they built their own house. Their children were studying at Sacred Heart Convent School located in Jamalpur… We don’t know what happened on Sunday morning and his entire family died… We need justice and want the government to provide relief to the family. We will be taking the bodies to Bihar for cremation.”
Couple dead
Navneet Kumar, 39, an accountant in Aarti Steels, and his wife Neetu Devi, 36, also died in Sunday’s gas leak. Their house is located just two buildings from Kavilash’s. The couple’s daughter, Nandini, a minor, is fine. While Navneet’s elder brother Nitin, 40, who lives in the same house, has been admitted to the civil hospital. The family hails from Hajipur in Bihar.
“Navneet’s father had come to Ludhiana for work more than 40 years ago. He, too, worked in Aarti Steels. Navneet’s father has shifted back to Bihar after retirement,” said Suraj, an acquaintance of Navneet, who lived in the backside of the same lane but was not affected by the gas leak. Navneet and Neetu were taken to Satguru Partap Singh Hospital on GT Road. Their bodies were sent to the Civil Hospital.
According to officials associated with the Ludhiana district administration, the building where the gas leak took place houses a grocery store and milk booth by the name of Goyal Cold Drinks. Four members of the Goyal family, who ran the shop, lived in the upper part of the building, out of which 3 died. The NDRF team arrived wearing masks for the search in the building.
Prevention Must Take Priority Over Reaction
The incident, which occurred on April 28, 2023, at a chemical factory in the city, has raised serious questions about the lack of adequate safety measures and regulatory oversight in the industrial sector. The fact that a tragedy of this magnitude could happen in the 21st century is a damning indictment of the apathy and incompetence of those responsible for enforcing safety standards.
The comprehensive approach to industrial safety
The death toll in the incident could have been much higher, had it not been for the timely intervention of the emergency services. The fact that the authorities were able to contain the leak and prevent it from spreading to neighboring areas is commendable. However, it cannot mask the fact that such incidents should not happen in the first place.
Need for stricter safety regulations
It is not enough for the authorities to take reactive measures after a tragedy has occurred. The focus should be on preventing such incidents from happening in the first place. This requires a comprehensive approach that addresses all aspects of industrial safety, from the design of the facilities to the training of the personnel.
Lack of accountability
The tragedy in Ludhiana is just one of many such incidents that have occurred in recent years. In 2021, a gas leak in Vishakhapatnam claimed the lives of 12 people and injured hundreds. In 2019, a boiler explosion at a chemical plant in Yavatmal killed six workers. These incidents are a clear indication of the need for stricter safety regulations and better enforcement mechanisms.
A wake-up call for prioritizing citizen safety.
The lack of accountability is another issue that needs to be addressed. In most cases, the authorities responsible for enforcing safety standards are either too lax or too corrupt to do their jobs properly. There is a need for greater transparency and accountability in the regulatory process to ensure that those responsible for safety violations are held accountable for their actions.
Gas leak incidents in the past year that made headlines
The Ludhiana gas leak incident took the lives of 11 people. The govt announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 2 lakh for deceased’s families. The gas leak from a chemical plant in Ludhiana’s Giaspura area in which at least 11 people were killed on Sunday has reminded people of many such incidents over the past one year.
The following is a jog-back to the incidents resulting from poisonous gases seeping into the air.
Ammonia gas leak in Haryana’s Jhajjar
A gas leak was reported at a factory in the Jhajjar district of Haryana on April 28, 2022, in which no one was injured or affected. The leakage of ammonia was reported from a ‘Kathha’ making factory.
Vishakhapatnam’s laboratory gas leak
On June 3, 178 women workers fell ill following a gas leak at the laboratory in Atchutapuram of Andhra Pradesh’s Vishakhapatnam. The workers fell sick after they inhaled the poisonous gas that leaked at Porus Laboratories Pvt Ltd.
Balaghat gas leak
Five people died due to the leakage of poisonous gas in a well in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat on June 8, 2022.
Andhra gas leak
As many as 121 women workers were affected after gas was leaked in a garment factory in Andhra’s Anakapalle district on August 3, 2022.
Odisha’s Balasore prawn plant
On September 28, 2022, 28 workers fell ill after inhaling ammonia gas that leaked from a prawn processing plant in Odisha’s Balasore district. The workers who came in contact with the gas complained of a burning sensation in the throat, nose and respiratory tract. No loss of life was reported in the incident.
Ammonia gas leak in Aligarh
On September 29, an incident of ammonia gas leak at a meat factory in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh was reported in which 50 people were rushed to hospital.
Kasturba Government College chemical gas leak in Hyderabad
On November 18, at Hyderabad’s Kasturba Government College, 25 students suffered from giddiness after a gas leak in a college lab.
Ammonia gas leak at Kamalgazi Pepsi plant in West Bengal
On November 21, an ammonia gas leak was reported from the Kamalgazi Pepsi plant in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal in which no one was injured or affected.
Ammonia gas leak in Kakdwip ice factory in West Bengal
On November 25, two local residents in West Bengal’s Kakdwip of South 24 Parganas fell sick after they came in contact with ammonia gas which was leaking from an ice plant.
Chlorine gas leakage in Swimming pool in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada
Ten students aged between 8 to 14 years fell ill following chlorine gas leakage in a municipal swimming pool in Vijayawada district of Andhra Pradesh on December The accident took place in Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Swimming Pool while the children were practicing in the pool.
