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19 fall sick after gas leak in Karwar plant, local residents stage protest

Jan 13, 2025 08:00 AM IST

As the protests gained momentum, plant head Khush Sharma addressed the demonstrators but faced sharp criticism for the alleged lapses in safety

Nineteen workers fell sick after a chemical leak took place at the Grasim Industries, which is part of the Aditya Birla Group, at Binaga in Karwar on Saturday. The incident, attributed to a chlorine gas leak from the company’s SCL plant, caused breathing difficulties, coughing, and sore throat among the workers, officers aware of the matter said on Sunday.

19 fall sick after gas leak in Karwar plant, local residents stage protest
19 fall sick after gas leak in Karwar plant, local residents stage protest

Of the affected workers, eight are local residents, and 11 belong to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Fourteen individuals were immediately admitted to the Karwar District Government Hospital, and five received care at the company’s on-site clinic. All workers are reported to be in stable condition, they added.

“Fourteen individuals were treated at the Karwar District Hospital, and five at the company clinic. I visited the factory premises soon after the incident, and fortunately, none of the workers suffered serious problems. All will be discharged by night,” said district health officer Ramesh Rao.

Following the incident, local residents staged protests outside the plant, accusing the management of negligence. Protesters highlighted a similar incident that took place four months ago, in which a worker reportedly died due to inadequate safety measures. They demanded the closure of the plant until robust safety protocols are implemented.

As the protests gained momentum, plant head Khush Sharma addressed the demonstrators but faced sharp criticism for the alleged lapses in safety.

Karwar MLA Satish Sail intervened, citing the recurring nature of such incidents. He instructed the plant to halt operations and directed that all workers leave the premises by 7.30pm.

Sharma complied with the directive, agreeing to suspend operations until a thorough safety audit is conducted. The protests subsided after assurances from the authorities that the plant will only reopen following approval from the deputy commissioner after the completion of the audit.

Karwar Rural Police registered a case against the plant management based on complaints from the affected workers. “We have filed a case and launched an investigation. The plant has been closed as per instructions from the district administration. We are awaiting the industrial safety officials’ report,” said Karwar Rural Police Inspector N Sathenalli.

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