NEWS reports on Sunday said that at least three people fell sick after ammonia gas leaked from a factory in the outskirt of the capital on Saturday. Just one week back we experienced explosion of another ammonia gas tank at a DAP fertilizer factory in the Port City of Chittagong. Around 50 people had to be hospitalized after that incident. This recurrent gas leakage in factory is very alarming which is life threatening and scores of people may die from such accident.
Naturally many wonder what lessons the government and particularly the management of such factories learned from earlier accidents. Because, they were expected to strengthen their safety system after the first accident for which departmental inquiry has held two factory officials responsible for neglecting duty. As reported people living adjacent to different fertilizer factories are now living in panic if and when such leakage may hit their safety.
What is more frightening is that exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in air causes immediate burning of the nose, throat and respiratory tract. This can cause different complications and may even result in respiratory failure or subsequent diseases. In our view all factories around the country must take immediate measure to recheck their gas tanks and safety against accidents. If faults appear in these tanks, they must be shut to ensure their safety first. Needless to say old tanks always become vulnerable and factories must check them periodically not to allow any surprise.
Experts blame most of our factories for using ammonia and other gas preserver tanks, which are mostly purchased at low cost. Mainly, mediocre factories may be blamed for tanks made of low cost materials, which may lead to the leakage and explosion. Experts say many factories are using gas tanks; which have expired technical fitness. But their management is very much reluctant to check and neglecting to change time expired gas tanks. What is regrettable is that most factories have no necessary equipment and technicians to oversee and overhaul the system. The authorities should use sophisticated equipment and expert technicians for the purpose.
It is noticeable that the explosion of ammonia tank at DAP factory in Chittagong has also caused environmental disaster in the locality affecting fish, plants and birds, in addition to making so many people sick. Moreover, recurrence of the explosion speaks of looming danger ahead when factory management appears not quickly learning from mistakes to check their safety system.
In our view not only the Ministry of Industries, the Ministry of Environment must also use their monitoring system to make sure such accidents will not happen again. It is dangerous to live around such factories.
