A major disaster was averted due to timely action by the district disaster management team on Monday.
As per information released by the district administration, a tanker transporting hazardous concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCL) met with an accident on the bridge of the Andhari river on the border of Pombhurna and Gondpipri tehsils on Monday at about 6 am.
The tanker had jumped the bridge on Andhari river and fell on its banks, due to which the acid began leaking.
On receiving information, Gondpipri tehsildar Mallik Virani swung into action and informed District Collector Deepak Mhaisekar who in turn co-ordinated with Resident Deputy Collector Sudhakar Kulmethe and the disaster management team to avert any damage due to acid leaking into the river.
A team comprising District Disaster Management officer Nilesh Teltumbde, Safety Officer of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited Ashish Kumar, Multi Organics Pvt Limited Manager Aleem Khan, along with experts in handling and neutralising chemicals, rushed to the spot.
They neutralised the leaking acid using quick lime and averted a major disaster that could have affected river water in the absence of timely action.
Orders were issued to transfer the remaining acid to some other container to be transported way from the spot without affecting surroundings.
