The importer of 140 cylinders of chlorine and the controller of explosives will face the music too.
Four months after 60kg of chlorine bottled in a cylinder at the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) premises leaked and sent over 120 people to hospital, the shipping ministry is set to initiate action against the port and customs officials.
The importer of 140 cylinders of chlorine and the controller of explosives will face the music too.
Shipping minister GK Vasan has approved the report and recommendations of the ministry on the chlorine gas leak. “We have recommended filing an FIR against the importer, Agro Gases Pvt Ltd. The Centre will soon issue directions to the MbPT, which will subsequently lodge the FIR,” a top shipping ministry official said. Agro Gases imported the consignment in the late 90s. It had been lying unclaimed at the port since then.
“We have held the traffic manager, deputy conservator and assistant manager (AM) (hazardous cargo) at the MbPT responsible. Since the first two are head of department rank posts, the MbPT will send a draft charge sheet following which the ministry will take action. AM (hazardous cargo) comes under the purview of the port, which will initiate action,” the official said.
The customs and the controller of explosives had blamed each other for the mishap.
“Since senior officials are involved, we will be sending the report to the concerned departments,” the official added. After that, the finance and commerce ministries will have to take the matter ahead.
Officials of the MbPT, customs and controller of explosives said they have still not received a formal communication from the ministry and that they will be able to decide on the future course of action only after they study the shipping ministry’s recommendations.
The police echoed their views. “We are yet to receive the copy of inquiry made by the Union ministry of shipping. We would be able to comment only after going through the findings of the report,” said Quaiser Khalid, deputy commissioner of police, port zone.
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