The GGCL, however, has dismissed the charge. Asserting that there was no gas leak in the company's premises or its pipeline network, GGCL vice-president K P Sinha said the guilty gas was similar to ethyl mercaptan. ``We have decided to engage Watson Consultants for an independent study and we will accept all its recommendations'', he said.

British Gas, which has taken over the company, had carried out a safety audit and found everything in order, he said, while another officer disputed the pollution control authorities' grounds for its conclusion.

The samples tested jointly by the GPCB and the Central Pollution Control Board, however, found that the air in Bhulka Bhavan contained one part per million of ethyl mercaptan, while that around the Badrinarayan temple contained 0.5 PPM. Any quantity more than 0.5 PPM invites action under the Air Act, according to GPCB regional officer J B Patel.