Karwar: A chlorine gas leak occurred at the Aditya Birla Grasim Industries Limited's chlorine plant in Binaga village, Karwar Taluk, around 1:15 PM, Saturday. A total of 19 workers fell ill due to the gas exposure. Among them, 14 workers were rushed to the Karwar District Hospital (KRIMS) for treatment, while the remaining five received medical care at the in-house hospital within the factory premises.

Doctors have confirmed that the health of all affected workers is stable and there is no danger. As a precautionary measure, the workers will remain under observation for 24 hours.

On the same day, at approximately 8:40 PM, officials from the Department of Factories and Boilers visited the site for inspection and initiated an investigation. Immediate steps are being taken to strengthen safety protocols to prevent such incidents in the future.

The factory’s production activities have been temporarily suspended through a “Prohibition Order.” Additionally, a safety audit has been mandated, and a detailed report is to be submitted to the District Disaster Management Committee of Uttara Kannada.

Labor Minister Santosh Lad has directed officials from the Labor Department to implement appropriate safety measures immediately and ensure compliance.

The district administration is closely monitoring the situation. Karwar Deputy Commissioner and District Disaster Management Authority Chairperson K. Lakshmi Priya, in an official statement, assured that the administration is actively overseeing the health of affected workers and the safety measures at the factory.