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Updated: May 9, 2020 7:06:14 pm
A father rushes to take his son for treatment at King George Hospital after a major chemical gas leak in the LG Polymers industry in RR Venkatapuram village, Visakhapatnam. (PTI Photo)
Two days later 11 people died from gas leaks At the LG Polymers plant in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, residents of the affected villages held a demonstration outside the factory on Saturday, demanding that the government shut the plant down or move it to another location.
The families of three of the deceased brought the bodies released to them after the autopsy and kept them outside the factory gates for a few minutes, demanding action against the factory and company managers.
Several young people also attempted to jump the gates and enter the factory. The protesters left after police intervened and Minister M. Srinivasa Rao assured them that action would be taken against the factory after an investigation is completed.
AP Police Director General D Goutam Sawang, NDRF officials and others were inside the factory to verify measures taken to stop the leak when protesters converged outside the factory.
“The gas leak has been contained and the situation is under full control now,” said the DGP. “More technical teams from the oil and chemical industry will also arrive today to inspect. The leak and the chemical reaction have stopped and now there is nothing to worry about. I also interacted with NDRF’s technical and scientific experts.
Although the leak has been covered, experts have advised people in the five villages surrounding the factory to remain in relief camps for 48 hours as a precaution. This is the protocol, “he said. The DGP said the investigative committee will meet with the experts in a day or two and begin the investigation into how and why the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, LG Polymers issued an apology earlier in the day. In a statement, the company said: “LG Polymers India would like to express its sincere condolences and apologies to everyone affected by this incident. We would like to assure everyone that the company is committed to working closely with the Indian authorities to investigate the cause. of the incident, prevent future recurrence and ensure the basis for care and treatment.Our initial investigations suggest that the cause of the incident is prima facie due to vapor leakage from the styrene monomer storage tank near the general-purpose polystyrene.
We are pleased to confirm that the status quo at the plant is under control this morning. As we focus on stabilizing the plant, we assure you that we are doing everything possible to extend all possible support to ensure that the people and their families who have been affected by this incident are cared for. Our teams are working day and night with the government to assess the impact of the damage caused and create concrete measures to deliver an effective care package that can be implemented immediately.
A special task force has been created to help victims and their families resolve any problems and provide full assistance to bereaved families. All families will be contacted shortly. This team is responsible for providing medical supplies, household items, and emotional management and psychological stability to all victims. We will also actively develop and promote medium-term support programs that can contribute to local communities. ”
More than 50 victims were released today from King George Hospital and other private hospitals. Authorities said that as a precaution they were not releasing the affected children.
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