Two workers die of asphyxiation in a dyeing unit in Erode district

Erode: In a terrible tragedy at the workplace, two migrant workers from a north Indian state died of asphyxiation while cleaning the effluents storage tank at a private dyeing unit in Erode on Sunday. Both persons died on the spot, police said.

The two workers, Manneer, 48, and Mandari Pandit, 40, hailing from Jharkhand were working at a dyeing unit at Mamarauthupalayam area near Periyasemur in Erode district. They were staying adjacent to the unit with their family members.

With Sunday being a holiday, the duo were reportedly asked to clean the effluent storage tank in the factory. They went down the 14-feet deep tank and were cleaning the stagnated chemical wastes and effluents, when they were overcome by a poisonous gas suddenly emanating from underneath and fell unconscious.   

Since the workers did not out for long time, security guards checked the tank and were shocked to find the bodies inside the tank. On information, Veerappanchattiram police conducted investigation and recovered the bodies. They were sent to Erode government hospital for post-mortem.

Meanwhile, local residents thronged the spot on hearing of the tragedy. They alleged that many dyeing units functioning in their area stored chemical effluents without any safeguards and witnessed similar incidents fairly regularly amid best practices were not being followed by the dyeing units. It was also not clear whether the workers were given gas masks while cleaning.  

Enraged by the deaths, people blocked the road, demanding a proper inquiry into the incident and adequate compensation to the kin of the dead. Police officials then held talks with them and the crowd dispersed following an assurance by officials to investigate the case without any bias.