Palghar: Seventeen workers were affected in a fresh gas leak incident at Tarapur MIDC in Boisar, raising serious concerns over industrial safety in the area. The dimethyl sulphide (DMS) gas leak reportedly occurred on Sunday afternoon at a pharmaceutical unit, Arti Pharma Lab. The affected workers were rushed to a private hospital in Boisar, where they are currently undergoing treatment. Allegations have surfaced that the company failed to inform the police about this leak, but the incident came to light after the workers were admitted to the hospital. Authorities are expected to probe the matter and determine any lapses in safety protocols.Dimethyl sulphide, upon exposure, releases vapours that can affect the eyes, which was the major complaint of those admitted.Incidents of gas leak in Tarapur MIDC have sparked criticism, with activists questioning worker safety and regulatory oversight in the industrial zone.Palghar superintendent of police (SP) Yatish Deshmukh said around 1 pm on Monday, Boisar police registered the offence and the investigation is on. A senior official at Boisar police station said, “We got information from the hospital on Monday morning and accordingly started investigating this case.” They also confirmed that the statements of all the workers have been taken.MIDC sources have confirmed this leak took place while handling the dimethyl sulphide. They said initially there is no impact of this gas but around 4 hours after the leak, the workers began to report irritation in the eyes and a sore throat. All 17 were thereafter admitted at the local hospital.
