Another gas leak in MP leaves 200 people sick

Even after the Bhopal gas leak claimed 20,000 lives in 1984, factories in Madhya Pradesh are still spewing venom. An unknown but toxic gas leak reported from Som Distilleries' Mandideep unit recently has given sleepless nights to thousands of people living there.

Though the state government initiated a probe into the reported leak yesterday evening, the level of toxicity has not been ascertained yet.

About 200 people have been admitted to hospitals with breathing and visibility problems. Doctors and government officials are clueless about the toxicity of the gas due to which several patients were admitted at Hamdia Hospital during the last two days.

Though Congress spokesperson Manak Agrawal said the gas had been leaked from Som Distilleries, neither the chairman of the company, Jagdish Arora, nor any company spokesperson were available for comment.

"Jagdish Arora is out of town and he will be here after Diwali," a company executive said.

The Pollution Control Board officials are also clueless. There are also rumours of a nearby Central Reserve Police Force unit mishandling tear gas storage.

Industries department officials, including the managing director of Madhya Pradesh Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam (a state government nodal agency responsible for thorough checking of all norms), Mandideep, also expressed their ignorance about the unit or the toxicity of gas.

The company's Mandideep unit was embroiled in another controversy over pollution of the Betwa river a few years ago.