Global Heavy Chemicals fined Tk 5 lakh
The Department of Environment (DoE) penalised Global Heavy Chemicals Ltd (GHCL) with a hefty fine of Tk 5 lakh for emitting toxic gases which caused 100 people to fall sick in Keraniganj on Sunday.
Following a report published in The Daily Star on October 17 titled “Toxic gas runs havoc”, DoE director (monitoring and enforcement) Mohammed Munir Chowdhury, summoned the managing director of GHCL Captain Sabur Khan (Retd) and other high officials of the company.
DoE sources said the gas leakage occurred due to the negligence of factory owners and directed the factory management to take precautions to stop further life-threatening incidents.
Around 100 people, including 13 firefighters and 40 locals and employees of the factory fell sick after inhaling the chlorine that seeped out from a pipe at the factory in Hasnabad.
Meanwhile, locals staged angry demonstrations demanding the removal of the factory. Following the incident, a number of residents have left the area while shops and educational institutions closed indefinitely.
GHCL, a partner organisation of Opsonin Group manufactures hydrochloric acid and caustic soda after obtaining DoE's permission.
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