Police have issued notices to the various parties to join the probe in connection with the chemical gas leak from the Tughlakabad container depot that affected over 450 girl students.
The police are sending notices to the companies involved in the transportation of the container, the customs department and the Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR), the custodian of the depot.
“We have asked them to submit a list of the agreements and documents pertaining to the transportation of the container and its content,” he said.
The officer said their probe will focus on ascertaining where the carelessness occurred and the agency responsible for it.
The 6 May chemical spill at the Tughlaqabad container depot also prompted the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday to seek the responses of the Centre and the Delhi government.
A bench chaired by NGT chief Swatanter Kumar directed the Central Pollution Control Board and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to jointly investigate and submit a report.
The green panel issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Delhi government, Railway Board and DPCC, asking them to file their replies within a week.
It also issued a show cause notice to the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) on issues pertaining to environmental compensation on its Tughlaqabad depot and its potential relocation, away from the school.
The case is scheduled for hearing on 15 May, and advocate I G Kapila has been appointed as amicus curiae.
Noxious fumes leaking from the chemical drums imported from China led to around 475 students of two girls schools in southeast Delhi’s Tughlakabad area, falling ill on Saturday, with complaints of dizziness and headache. They were rushed to hospital, and most were discharged a few hours later, according to IANS. An FIR was registered by the police in connection with the incident.
Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia too had ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.
A call was received around 7:35 am about the gas leakage and seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot, said a senior officer from Delhi Fire Services, adding that the source of the leak was not clear.
Police said that the students have been admitted to the hospital without giving further details.
According to police, a call was received at around 7:35 am about some chemical leakage at customs area of Tughlaqabad depot, which is located near Rani Jhansi School for girls run by the city government.
Following the incident, teams of police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as well as CATS ambulance reached the spot.
Some chemical leakage at customs area of Tughlaqabad depot has caused eye irritation to the girl students in Rani Jhansi school.Romil Baniya, DCP (Southeast)
Baniya added that legal action would be initiated since it involved negligence.
Sisodia said that he has ordered the area district magistrate and SDM to launch a probe into the gas leakage incident at the container depot.
"There was an exam in the school which we have cancelled following the incident," the deputy chief minister said. He later tweeted,
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda asked the Central government hospitals to be prepared to deal with any gas leak patients.
Central Government of India hospitals instructed to be ready to help all victims of Delhi gas leak incident. My prayers are with children and families.JP Nadda, Health Minister
(With inputs from agencies)
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