Chlorine cylinder leak inquiry exposes lack of safety

The inquiry report over September 26 chlorine cylinder leakage at Hala Naka water filtration plant in Hyderabad has tacitly put the blame on the plant's officials for exposing the 900 kilogrammes cylinder to erosion by keeping it an unsafe place.

The gas leakage, which had spread to contiguous Khursheed Town and Jatoi Goth residential areas, had affected 22 children and seven adults who all were taken in emergency to Liaquat University Hospital.

"The unattended cylinder was placed outside [in the open] for many years and due to this [reason] its fuses and one of its valves were badly damaged due to weather conditions," the report, signed by two Executive Engineers and a Senior Sub-Engineer of Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation (HWSC), states. On the day of the incident, a team Rescue 1122 stopped the leaking by cooling the cylinder with the help of water pressure.

The cylinder was later thrown in a water pond. According to the report, the incident happened around 12 noon on September 26. It blamed the plant's officials for keeping the high-ups in the dark even after the leakage. "... it occurred from a cylinder placed outside of the chlorine cylinders room."

The report further states that owing to the hot weather the exposed cylinder's chlorine turned into gas from liquid while the corrosion had already affected the valves. The inquiry team asked the officials to explain why the cylinder was kept in the open but the staff tried to justify their negligence by pointing out that the chlorinator plant is dysfunctional for many years because of which the cylinders were redundant. The chlorinators at other plants of the corporation are also defunct and the city is being supplied water brimming with bacteria.

In its findings, the report underlined that unavailability of 'technical staff', familiar with operating the chlorinators and handling the cylinders, at the plant is also one of the reason. The checking of the cylinders with ammonia is also not being done while gas masks are also not provided at the plant. The chlorine cylinders are supposed to be placed in cool and shaded places away from direct sunlight while the liquid chlorine contained in the cylinders is supposed to be used within 12 months from the date of filling. Separately, hydraulic testing, replacement of valves and fuses as well as the stability check from the explosives department also ought to be performed.

The report recommended hiring of the technical staff at the filtration plants against vacant positions as per the HDA Service Regulations, 1988. The staff should be trained in handling containers filled with hazardous gases.