Jaipur, Feb 17 : Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday visited the JK Lone Hospital in Kota and met with students who were affected due to the ammonia gas leak last week.

He directed the medical team to continuously monitor their health and issued necessary instructions to the medical board responsible for their treatment.

Additionally, he instructed the administration to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, ensuring all aspects are considered in the report.

Lok Sabha Speaker Birla assured that every possible support and assistance would be provided to the affected families.

He also directed factory owners to follow necessary safety guidelines to prevent similar incidents in the future.

He emphasised that appropriate action would be taken based on the investigation report from all relevant departments.

Rajasthan Energy Minister Hiralal Nagar said that the medical board team is actively conducting health checkups, and all the children are currently in stable condition.

He assured that the children would only be discharged from the hospital once their families were completely satisfied with their recovery.

He also noted that symptoms such as eye irritation, excessive tearing, breathing difficulties, throat discomfort, and a strange odour were observed in the children, indicating a gas leak.

The Lok Sabha Speaker added that the exact cause of the leakage and any potential negligence would only be determined after a detailed investigation.

Chambal Fertilisers Chemical Limited (CFCL) operates a factory in Garhpan village, Simaliya, Kota.

A government higher secondary school is located adjacent to the factory, with its boundary directly touching the school premises, while the factory gate is nearly 500 metres away.

On February 15 morning during school prayers, ammonia gas was released from the CFCL plant during a shutdown.

Soon after, the gas began affecting the school and nearby areas, causing symptoms such as breathlessness, eye irritation, and vomiting among residents.

As a result, the health of 18 students, including 15 girls, deteriorated.

Six of the affected students were admitted to Kota's JK Lone Hospital for treatment.

Medical College Principal Sangeeta Saxena, JK Lone Hospital Superintendent Nirmala Sharma, and doctors from various departments were present.

/IANS