Toxic gas leak in Manali: 5-member panel to probe

CHENNAI: After North Chennai residents experienced toxic gas leakage from Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) in Manali for the past few days, the State government passed an order on Thursday where a five member technical committee formed to inspect the sources and submit a detailed report on July 23.

As per the government order, "Based on several reports in the media about intolerable pungent odour similar to that of LPG gas in Thiruvottriyur and Manali. Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has taken many field visits in the area to check the sources of odour. The joint chief environmental engineer inspected the area on Wednesday and issued directions to CPCL."

To safeguard the health of the people in that locality, it is essential to get a detailed technical examination to be done immediately. A five member technical committee has formed to inspect, identify the sources of the problem, and submit their report to the government by Saturday (July 23).

Further, the government directs the TNPCB officials to render necessary logistics support to the committee members.

The technical committee experts are Dr Gokul, and Dr Sivathanu Pillai, Scientist, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr HD Varalaxmi, Scientist - E, Regional Director, CPCB, Dr SM Shiva Nagendra, Professor, Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Departmental of Civil Enginnering, IIT- Madras, and Dr N Balasubramanian, Professor, Chemical Engineering Department, Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University.