Gas leak: AIIMS panel suggests shifting of Tughlaqabad depot

New Delhi: The Tughlaqabad container depot should be relocated, a panel of experts from AIIMS set up to probe the chemical spill that led to more than 450 children being hospitalised suggested on Friday.

The five-member probe panel, which had visited the depot in south Delhi's Tughlaqabad area and the two schools affected by last week's gas leak, has, however, not made a formal recommendation yet.

"The panel feels that the depot be relocated. However, we have not sent any official recommendation to that effect yet," said Dr Y K Gupta, head of pharmacology at AIIMS who is heading the panel.

The panel had also visited the hospitals where the students had been taken.

A magisterial inquiry set up after the incident has also submitted its preliminary report to the Delhi government.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda had directed central government run hospitals to be ready to help victims of the May 6 incident.

The chemical spill near the two Delhi government-run girl schools had led to toxic fumes rising in the air. Hundreds of students were hospitalised after they complained of breathlessness and irritation in eyes.

On the day of the incident, AIIMS had issued an advisory urging people not to panic.

The chemical 'chloro methyl pyridine', AIIMS said, is a general eye and respiratory irritant and may cause irritation, redness and watering of eyes along with respiratory symptoms like sneezing, coughing or difficulty in breathing.