Panic spread in several villages in the Lalru area in the wee hours today following the leak of gas from a drug factory, Punjab Chemicals Crop Protection Ltd (PCCPL), at Samleri village here.
The incident occurred at 5.15 am following the tripping of an electric motor in the recovery unit of the factory. Nearly 150 employees were present on the factory premises at the time of the incident, said Ravinder Chaddha, vice-president of the company.
The pungent gas, which, company officials claimed, was hydrogen chloride, had its effect in several villages, including Hasanpur, Jalalpur and Lehli, for more than two hours. Panicky residents of these villages came out of their houses complaining of breathlessness, irritation in the eyes, cough and giddiness.
Though the company officials claimed that the gas leak was controlled within 15 minutes, its effect remained in the area for several hours.
When a team of Chandigarh Tribune visited the factory site, the pungent smell was still there.
According to Gurminder Singh, councillor of the area and resident of Hasanpur village, the effect of the gas in a certain area of the village was strong. “At the time of the incident, most people were sleeping. As the gas caused breathlessness and giddiness, panic spread all around,” said Gurminder Singh, who immediately called up the local police post in this regard.