7 mill workers affected due to gas leak

Collector Yashwant Kumar along with other officials during his visit to the Sanjeevani Hospital.

Our Correspondent :

RAIGARH,

SEVEN workers in a factory were affected by poisonous gas leakage at Shakti Paper Mill in village Tetla located some 20 kilometre from Raigarh headquarters. Three workers are stated to be critical and they have been referred to Raipur. According to information received, seven labourers were sent to clean the recycle chamber of the paper mill, as the mill was closed during lockdown. The paper mill is a recycling mill and the owner after the directives of State Government was planning to open the mill. While the workers were cleaning the tank, suddenly gas started to leak resulting in a panic and the workers who were in the recycle chamber collapsed after inhaling the gas. The workers were pulled out of the chamber and immediately admitted in Sanjeevani Hospital.

The doctors, after treatment, termed the condition of three workers as critical and referred them to Raipur. The matter was informed to the police by the hospital authorities. Collector Yashwant Kumar and Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh visited Sanjeevani Hospital and took information about the workers admitted. Additional Superintendent of Police Abhishek Verma, SDM Yugal Kishore Urvasha and Chief Health and Medical Officer S N Kishori also accompanied. Speaking to The Hitavada, Collector Yashwant Kumar said that he had instructed the Mill Owner to assist the workers in their treatment in Raipur.

He also assured the family members of the injured workers that they will be provided proper treatment. Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh said that the incident took place on Wednesday afternoon, but the owner of the mill tried to hide the matter. The administration came to know about this when the hospital authorities informed about the matter. SP Santosh Singh also added that the owner of the mill did not provide proper safety equipments to the workers before sending them for cleaning the chamber due to which the workers inhaled the poisonous gas.

SP said that strict action will be taken against the owner of the mill as the accident caused due to the negligence of the owner. The three workers who are critical and referred to Raipur are Dolamani Sidar (35), Surendra Gupta (28) and Updhar Malakar (40). The other four labourers affected by gas were identified as Puramdhan Kumar (21), Anil Kumar (22), Nimani Bhoi (40) and Ranjeet Singh (34).