SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, April 16: Panic gripped Sindri township in Dhanbad on Wednesday following a leakage of ammonia gas from the Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL) fertilizer plant.
Residents reported a burning sensation in their eyes since morning, as the gas spread through the area. Sindri, home to over 50,000 people, was affected by the leak, leading to growing concerns among locals.
Officials Confirm Leakage, Blame Shutdown
Baliapur Block Circle Officer (CO) Praveen Kumar, whose jurisdiction includes Sindri, confirmed the ammonia leak. He stated that HURL authorities attributed the incident to a plant shutdown.
Senior HURL official Gautam Majhi also acknowledged the leakage, saying the plant was shut down on Tuesday and that some gas was escaping as a result. However, he claimed the quantity was minimal and not dangerous to public health.
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Public Reaction and Political Outcry
Dipak Kumar Dipu, president of the Sindri Chamber of Commerce and a senior BJP leader, met with HURL officials and urged immediate action to prevent further gas leaks. He alleged that the ammonia was leaking in significant quantities and causing distress among residents.
“HURL management should have informed the public in advance about the plant shutdown and the possibility of a leak so that necessary precautions could have been taken,” Dipu said.
He further demanded disciplinary action against the officials responsible for the incident, stressing the need to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Dipu also accused the Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner (DC) of not responding to multiple calls regarding the situation, despite the panic and health concerns being raised by residents.
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The HURL plant in Sindri is considered a flagship project under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to make India self-reliant in fertilizer production. The recent incident has raised serious questions about operational safety and communication protocols at the facility.
