Published Aug 03, 2022 | 6:12 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 16, 2022 | 1:54 PM
Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Gudivada Amarnath visits garment workers affected by the Brandix gas leak. (gudivadaamar/Twitter)
Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Gudivada Amarnath cited “pesticide fumigation” as the reason for the illness of more than 120 women workers on Tuesday, 2 August at the Brandix Intimate India Private Limited factory in the Anakapalli district.
“As per the preliminary report of Hyderabad’s Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), it seems that the gases spread through the air-conditioners inside the whole unit. Residues of the samples collected have been sent to the IICT for further examination,” he told South First.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday ordered a safety audit in all the industries of the state, and asked officials to form a high-level committee to investigate the gas-leak incident.
K Dhanya Anusha, duty doctor at Satyadev Multi Speciality Hospital in Anakapalli told South First on Wednesday about the symptoms of the hospitalised, “The women were complaining of nausea, a burning sensation in the eyes, and discomfort in the chest due to shortness of breath.”
“Most of them are suffering from body pain due to hypochloremia (electrolyte imbalance in the body due to low chloride). They should recover by tomorrow,” she added.
Apart from the Satyadev Multi Speciality Hospital, the women were admitted to NTR and Usha Prime Multispecialty Hospital in Anakapalli.
South First made several efforts to reach out to Brandix Intimate India Private Limited, but is yet to hear back from the company.
This is the second such incident at a Brandix India facility this year, the first being the 3 June suspected gas leak that left around 300 women workers unwell.
It was then suspected that ammonia gas leaking from a nearby Porus Laboratories unit caused the incident.
The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board ordered the closure of the lab: It was shut for a few days but then resumed activities.
In 2020, the dangerous styrene monomer gas, which leaked from a storage tank on the premises of an LG Polymers unit at the Venkatapuram village on the outskirts of Port City, killed 12 people, including two children.
Asked about the constant gas leak incidents, Amarnath said, “These incidents are not constant. The LG Polymers unit was given notice.”
The IT minister, who is also the MLA from Anakapalli, added that the Brandix manufacturing unit had been shut till a probe into the incident was completed. He also assured stringent action against the owners of the company.
అచ్యుతాపురం బ్రాండిక్స్ ఆవరణలోని సీడ్స్ పరిశ్రమలో మంగళవారం జరిగిన గ్యాస్ లీక్ ప్రమాదంలో అస్వస్థతకు గురై అనకాపల్లి వైద్యశాలలో చికిత్స పొందుతున్న బాధితులను పరామసించటం జరిగింది pic.twitter.com/dYZnJRjyyE
— Gudivada Amarnath (@gudivadaamar) August 3, 2022
Gafoor Sheikh, Circle Inspector at Anakapelle, told South First, “A case has been registered under IPC Sections 336 (negligence to endanger human life) and 337 (punishment for negligence). Joint teams of the Revenue, Pollution Control Board and other departments are investigating the matter.”
