KOCHI : The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) and Factories and Boilers Department will jointly investigate the gas leak reported at Irumpanam near Thripunithura on Thursday night.

The inquiry report will be filed within three days. It will be forwarded to experts at the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, and Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) for follow-up action.

The district administration will submit a detailed report to the Government by including the suggestions given by experts on the exact reason behind the gas leak that triggered panic at Irumpanam and nearby areas.

A free medical camp will be held for the residents of Irumpanam at Kanjirakode L.P. School on May 13. It will begin at 10 a.m. An awareness campaign against chemical disasters will be held at the L.P. School and Community hall at Karshaka colony on May 16. Doctors, security experts, the police and fire force personnel will attend the programme.

A security drill will be held in all industrial units at Irumpanam within two weeks. The crisis management group under the district administration has asked the company managements to take urgent steps to avoid gas leaks in future.

FACT clarifies

Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd. (FACT) on Friday clarified that there was no leak of any toxic gas from its Ambalamedu unit.

"Our plants have been shut down for annual maintenance since April 15. Movement of ammonia through trucks was also suspended in view of the visit of Ramvilas Paswan, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, on May 10. The ammonia storages at Ambalamedu FACT are maintained at the design conditions through refrigeration. We have checked all systems in view of the reported incident and confirmed that there was no escape of ammonia from our area," M. Anil Raghavan, Deputy Chief Manager (Sales and Public Relations), said in a press release.

FACT Petrochemical Division Workers' Union has demanded an inquiry by an intelligence wing of the State and Union Governments to bring out the truth behind the gas leak. George Thomas, general secretary of the union, said the plants at the Kochi division had been shut down for maintenance. He said there was no movement of trucks from the division on Thursday.

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