Vizag gas leak: 5-member panel to probe lapses, neutralising Styrene gas to take more time

The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday constituted a five-member high-powered committee to probe Thursday’s leakage of Styrene vapour gas from LG Polymers India Ltd in Visakhapatnam that claimed 12 lives.

The committee will be headed by special chief secretary (environment, forests, science and technology) Neerab Kumar Prasad and comprise special chief secretary (industries and commerce) Karikal Valaven, Visakhapatnam collector V Vinay Chand, commissioner of police R K Meena and AP Pollution Control Board member secretary Vivek Yadav.

The high-powered committee will inquire into the causes of the leakage, including possible lapses in the plant’s adherence to safety protocols; it will study the long-term effects of the gas leakage on the surrounding villages, if any and recommend action to be taken against the company if negligence is found.

The committee will also suggest measures to be taken by industry units, including safety audits, to prevent such mishaps in future and will also make observations and suggestions for all similar industrial plants, which will be included in their report to be submitted within a month.

Meanwhile, state industries minister Mekapati Gautam Reddy, who visited the LG Polymers chemical plant at Visakhapatnam and held meetings with the officials, said experts were making concerted efforts to neutralize Styrene gas at LG Polymers plant. He said it might take another 48 hours.

With regards to the gas leak, he said it occurred during maintenance in preparation to restart production halted during the lockdown.

At a review meeting in the morning, chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the officials to identify hazardous factories in and around Visakhapatnam located in densely populated areas. He asked for a comprehensive roadmap to make Visakhapatnam a risk-free city by shifting hazardous industries to places far away from habitations.

Also Read: Andhra Pradesh gas leak: NGT slaps interim penalty of ₹50 cr on LG Polymers India

The chief minister instructed the officials to immediately release ex-gratia of ₹1 crore to each of the families of the deceased, ₹10 lakh to each patient on ventilator, ₹1 lakh each to other patients and ₹25,000 to those who underwent treatment.

Health minister Alla Nani said the government was immersed in the relief and rehabilitation process including evacuation and rehabilitation on a war-footing of 1,500 villagers in the vicinity of LG Polymers plant soon after the news of the leakage was received.

He said 554 victims were shifted to hospitals and 128 admitted persons have completely recovered. 305 patients, including 52 infants, are being treated at the King George Hospital. There are 121 others, who are being treated at private hospitals and are out of danger. As of now, nobody was on ventilator support. The government would provide complete medical support to all of them, he added.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19