RSP Gas Leak Mishap: Safety Dept Assistant Manager Suspended

Rourklea: A day after the horrific gas leakage mishap left four employees dead and several others ill at Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), an assistant manager with the Safety Department in the plant has been placed under suspension on charges of dereliction of duties.

According to sources, RSP Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dipak Chattaraj has suspended Safety Department assistant engineer Smruti Ranjan Sahoo in connection with the gas leak mishap that claimed four lives on Wednesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, two Deputy General Managers (DGMs) of the RSP- N Das, the DGM of Coal Chemical Department and G Barik, the DGM of Energy Management Department were suspended for the accident.

Following the mishap, the plant authorities had taken a string of measures including job to one family member of each deceased. The authorities had also directed the third party vendor who had employed the contractual employees in the plant to provide compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh to the families of each deceased.

Notably, around 15 employees were on duty at the site when the incident took place on Wednesday morning. Ten of them fell ill following the leakage of toxic gas from the plant. All were initially admitted to the dispensary on the plant premises.

Later, four of them were shifted to the Ispat General Hospital (IGH) after their condition deteriorated. While two were declared brought dead, two more succumbed during treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.

(Edited By Suryakant Jena)