GPCB to probe workers' death at Pandesara unit

SURAT: Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) will conduct an inquiry into the death of two contract workers allegedly due to suffocation in a dyes making firm Colortex at Pandesara on Monday. Three workers had to be rushed to a hospital when they found it difficult to breath in the unit. However, the ambulance which was taking them to a hospital met with an accident, causing delay in providing treatment to them.Two of the three died during treatment where as one is under treatment in Udhna Hospital.
Police have sent the viscera of the deceased to Forensic Science Laboratory. Relatives of the deceased alleged poisonous gas to be the reason for the death of their dear ones. However, the company said delay in receiving treatment caused the death of the workers. Anil Patel, regional officer of GPCB, said, "We were not informed about the incident when it happened. We have sent our people to conduct an inquiry. It is still to be found out if inhaling of gas was the cause of the death of the workers. The primary cause of death according to police register is due to inhaling of gas. We have sent the viscera of the workers to FSL."
A company spokesman said, "We run a dyes unit and it is non hazardous. None of our gases could kill a person. It is unfortunate that while the affected workers were being taken for treatment, the vehicle met with an accident and a mob went berserk. This caused delay of an hour and resulted in the death of workers." Three contract workers Anil Mandal, 23, of Vadod, Anil Thakur, 30, of Ved Road and Ramswarup Yadav, 35, fell unconscious due to fumes of Hydrochloric Acid. They were rushed to a hospital in a company ambulance but it met with an accident near Amin Dying mill. However, local people surrounded the vehicle thinking that the driver was drunk. This caused delay in starting treatment to the affected workers and resulted in the death of Mandal and Thakur. Police have recorded the statements of the victims' co-workers and have registered a case of accidental death under IPC section 174.