A gas leak incident was reported from a well of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) near a village in Mehsana district of Gujarat on Friday, triggering panic among the locals. People living near Kasalpura village and surrounding areas have complained of burning sensation in their eyes and throat, PTI reported.
With a population of around 850, Kasalpura is located around 1.5 km from the ONGC well.
Mehsana District Development Officer Om Prakash said the leak began around 2 am at the well located near Kasalpura village.
He said at least 40 people from three villages have complained of burning sensation in eyes and throat. ONGC has been asked by the district administration to set up gas analysers to check the nature of gas leaking from the well, PTI reported.
"Compressed air that is pumped into the well has been escaping, and the gas is not poisonous or inflammable. People have complained of mild burning sensation in eyes and throat. Wind direction is towards Kasalpura," Om Prakash said.
Prakash said the district government had set up outpatient clinics with doctors, ambulances, and fire fighters in Kasalpura and two other neighbouring villages.
"We have kept the evacuation plan ready. In case anything serious happens, ambulances and buses are ready to shift people," PTI quoted Prakash as saying.
In a similar incident, dozens of people fell sick as a result of a gas leak at a meat plant in the Aligarh region of Uttar Pradesh.
A police spokesperson said, "The factory was immediately evacuated following the gas leak and the situation has returned to normal. The affected people are being treated."
The event happened at Haji Zaheer's meat factory, Al-Dua. Soon, several people reportedly started falling unconscious and were taken to the JN hospital for treatment.