30 people hospitalised after chlorine gas leak at Hindustan Paper Corporation mill

MORIGAON: At least 30 people, including women and children, were hospitalised after chlorine gas leaked from Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC) paper mill at Jagiroad in central Assam's Morigaon district.

One of the chlorine pipes of the paper mill blasted yesterday polluting the air and water in and round Jagiroad causing 20 women and 10 children to be admitted in the HPC hospital, an official said.

The women and children complained of vomiting, cough and respiratory problem before they were admitted to hospital, they said.

Ten of the seriously ill have been shifted to Gauhati Medical College Hospital.

Pratap Goswami, Executive Director of HPC paper mill, said repair works were on to plug the holes in the pipe to prevent further pollution of the environment.

Goswami said they had initiated a probe and are taking steps to ensure no such incident takes place in the future.

The Assam Pollution Control Board today sent an expert team to take stock of the situation.

The HPC paper mill was established in 1985.