Ammonia gas leakage in a dairy plant in AP: 14 hospitalised

At least 14 workers mainly women were hospitalised following an ammonia gas leak at a milk dairy unit in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday night, ANI reported. The incident took place at a unit of Hatsun Agro Products in Bandapalli village.

“We got the information that ammonia gas was leaked at Hatson company milk process unit near Puthalapattu around 5 pm,” Chittoor District Collector Narayan Bhat Gupta said. “Fourteen labourers who were working in that shift are brought to the hospital here in Chittoor. Among them, 3 people are serious and probably will be shifted to SVIMS or Ruia hospital in Tirupati.”

He said all the workers are women. Gupta said it is not yet clear whether the gas leak was the result of negligence by the management or of the workers. He said the general manager of the industries department and the fire department will review the situation on Friday.

According to the police, over 100 people were inside the unit at the time of the leak, News18 reported. A police officer from Puthalapattu said the leak has been brought under control.

State Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy spoke with Gupta and ordered an investigation.