Formalin Tanker Crash Contaminates Jatinga River, Officials Ban Use
Authorities have launched water testing, fishing restrictions and public-health alerts to protect communities and water supplies until laboratory results confirm the river is safe.
Overview
- A tanker carrying formalin leaked from two compartments into a stream that flowed into the Jatinga River after an accident on NH-27 near Jatinga Bridge, prompting district warnings and emergency action.
- The tanker driver, identified as Saiful Haque, was critically injured in the crash and later died at Haflong Civil Hospital, according to local reporting.
- Dima Hasao and Cachar district administrations, following DDMA guidance, have ordered immediate water-quality tests, continuous river monitoring and protection of public water-intake points.
- Officials have banned catching, transporting and selling fish from the affected stretch and advised residents not to use river water for drinking, cooking, bathing, irrigation or for livestock until tests clear the water.
- Health advisories warn that formalin (a concentrated formaldehyde solution) can cause eye and skin irritation, breathing problems and nausea, and residents with symptoms have been urged to seek prompt medical care while authorities continue sampling and surveillance.