One hundred and fifty people were on Tuesday admitted to hospitals with breathing problem following chlorine gas leak from a water filter plant of Tata Motors in Jamshedpur.
"Around 150 people, including the company employees and their family members, are undergoing treatment at Telco Hospital while several others have been released after treatment," Deputy Chief Minister Sudhir Mahto said.
He said he had directed the East Singhbhum district administration to probe the chlorine gas leak.
Mahto said he had discussion with a senior official of the company in this regard. The official had assured him that all necessary steps have been taken to provide medical aid to the affected persons, Mahto said.
Alleging that the gas leak was caused due to "negligence" on the part of Tata Motors, Mahto said quoting the official that the "gas cylinder was left abandoned in the company premises after the technology being followed in the plant by the company became obsolete about 15-16 years back."
The company official assured him of stringent action against the persons responsible for the incident, the deputy chief minister said.
According to the company's Assistant General Manager (administration/security) Capt P J Singh, there was a chlorine gas leak from the filter plant in the afternoon.
Later in a statement, Tata Motors said the chlorine leak has been plugged and about 60-70 residents who reported breathing difficulty have been admitted to the Tata Motors hospital in Jamshedpur.