Ludhiana gas leak: Night-long efforts undertaken to decontaminate affected area, says official

A portion of the Giaspura locality in Punjab’s Ludhiana where 11 people died allegedly after inhaling toxic gas remained cordoned off on Monday while the district authorities said the affected area underwent a night-long decontamination process.

A portion of the Giaspura locality in Punjab's Ludhiana where 11 people died allegedly after inhaling toxic gas remained cordoned off on May 1 while the district authorities said the affected area underwent a night-long decontamination process.

Teams of the Punjab Pollution Control Board checked what led to the buildup of Hydrogen sulphide in the sewer that might have led to the tragedy, the officials said, adding that the poisonous gas is no longer being detected in the air.

Eleven people, including three children, died after allegedly inhaling toxic gas in the city's thickly populated Giaspura locality on Sunday, with high levels of Hydrogen sulphide detected in the air and authorities suspecting that it emanated from a sewer.

Four more people who were taken ill are undergoing treatment at a hospital.

A magisterial inquiry has already been ordered into the incident and the police have registered an FIR against unknown persons.

Giaspura is a thickly populated area with a migrant population. Several industrial and residential buildings are located there. All the victims belonged to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and had been staying in Ludhiana — Punjab's industrial hub.

Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik on May 1 said the area was successfully decontaminated.