Panic at Atchutapuram over alleged gas leak for second time at Brandix

“No need to panic,” says Collector; expert dismisses it as rumours

The alleged leakage of some gas for a second time at the Quantum Seeds, the second unit of Brandix India Apparel Company (BIAC) caused panic in the vicinity of the plant at Atchutapuram in Anakapalli district on June 5 morning.

It may recalled that around 100 women employees fell sick after allegedly inhaling some poisonous gas at the second unit of BIAC on June 3. Brandix is an apparel company and the possibility of poisonous gases leaking from it looks improbable, say reliable sources. However, the origin of the gas and the cause of the leak, have not yet been established.

On June 5, the security guard on duty at the second unit raised an alarm that he sensed some gas and pressed the panic button. The second unit was already shut down, pending inquiry into the leak. Luckily, it being a Sunday morning, there were no workers of other units in the vicinity, according to sources.

“The security guard raised an alarm at 8.20 a.m. A team comprising of experts and officials has already gone to the plant to ascertain the facts. The team did not find any smell at that time. There is no cause for panic. We are, however, not ruling out anything,” Anakapalli District Collector P. Ravi Subhash told The Hindu, when contacted.

“On the probe into Friday’s gas leak, the Collector said that experts from Andhra University have also been included in the Joint Committee, formed to investigate the cause and source of the gas leak. The second unit was shut down after the leak and our team is expected to come out with their report soon,” he said.

Meanwhile, Environment Engineer Pramod Kumar Reddy in a statement ruled out there was any leak at the plant on Sunday. He appealed to the public not to believe in rumours.