VISAKHAPATNAM: The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has issued orders to the Porus Laboratories Private Limited in Atchyutapuram of Anakapalle district to immediately halt its production and manufacturing activities until further orders, in connection with the suspected ammonia gas leak took place on June 3 at Quantum Seeds unit of the Brandix India Apparel City in Atchyutapuram, which made 178 Brandix staffers fall ill.
The orders came after the four-member Joint Committee formed by the district administration to look into the gas leak incident made multiple visits to the SEZ.APPCB District Environmental Engineer Pramod Kumar Reddy told Express that the orders were issued to Porus as there are many suspicions surrounding the two nearby pharmaceutical companies of Brandix, following the gas leak.
One of the two pharmaceutical companies here has already been on a work halt for two months, he said, adding that the works at Porus have to be stopped too in wake of the second leak rumors on Sunday to avoid unwanted fears.
It is informed that the manufacturing activities at Porus will remain temporarily halted until the 4-member joint committee ascertain origin and type of the gas. The PCB official said that a report in this regard can be expected in two days, and that further action will follow accordingly.
The aerial distance between Porus Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. and the Seeds Intimate Apparel India is about 1.5 km according to the officials.
The pharmaceutical company Porus has denied the possibility of gas being leaked from their company citing that none of their staffers fell sick or complained of any uneasiness on the day of the gas leak.