ONGC denies chemical leak from its Navi Mumbai plant, says `smell of hydrocarbon spread due to incessant rains`

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Wednesday denied a chemical leak from its plant in Uran, Navi Mumbai. The company said that the smell of hydrocarbon had spread due to incessant rains. Earlier several fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the situation was reported to be under control, according to news agency ANI. 

Senior ONGC officers went to the area and interacted with the local villagers and administration. The company reiterated that the plant is running normally and there is no reason to panic. 

"At #ONGC Uran plant smell of hydrocarbon felt early Morning which was spread due to incessant rains. There is no leakage. All precautionary measures in place. Plant is running normal. There is nothing to panic. #ONGC Senior officers are present in the Uran plant. Interaction with the local villagers and administration is on to dispel the panic caused by hydrocarbon smell in the vicinity, which is spread due to heavy rains," tweeted ONGC.

This comes nearly a week after a gas leakage was reported from the Rashtriya Chemical Fertiliser (RCF) plant in Chembur, Mumbai. A day later the company had also denied clarifying that there was "no incidence of gas leakage in any of the RCF Plants". The RCF had also added that neither the Mumbai Police nor the Fire Brigade or NDRF teams found any gas leakage after visiting the unit and declared everything was normal. It further added that all the RCF plants have been running normal as per standard operating procedures.