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About 500 kg of chemicals were airlifted from Gujarat and shipped to Visakhapatnam on Thursday to neutralize the impact of styrene, a dangerous gas that leaked into the plant in the first hours and claimed more than half a dozen lives.
Due to the closure, officials at LG Polymers Private Ltd, where the gas leak occurred, asked government authorities to fix a chemical called 4-Teritiary Butylcatchol (PTBC), available from a chemical factory in Gujarat that would help contain the reaction. at an early stage.
“The matter was discussed in the Interior Ministry and in 20 minutes, the chemical was arranged and shipped from Daman airport to Visakhapatnam,” said a senior government official.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting to assess the steps taken in response to the incident. The meeting was attended by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Interior Minister Amit Shah, and State Ministers of Internal Affairs Nityanand Rai and G. Kishan Reddy.
Dr. Randeep Guleria of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), who attended the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) meeting chaired by Mr. Modi, said at a press conference that the possibilities of a Long-term impact on residents, similar to the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, was less and was a “disease that is not universally fatal.”
Dr. Guleria said that styrene could harm humans by ingestion and inhalation. “Irritation in the throat can cause shortness of breath, wheezing, and shortness of breath. It affects the brain and causes headache, nausea, vomiting, instability, and trouble walking. In high exposure cases, it can cause coma and irregular heartbeat. The effect on the skin is slight and can also affect the eyes. “
He added that “there was no specific antidote and no treatment to reverse” its impact, and the treatment was primarily supportive. “When exposed, clothing should be removed, exposed eyes can be washed with water … some will have to be placed on fans. Many will require oxygen facilities. Nebulization can also be administered. In severe cases, steroids have been administered. This is a disease that is not universally fatal. “
S.N Pradhan, Director General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), said about 250 families were evacuated from around the plant and that a “door-to-door” survey was being conducted. A specialized team was being dispatched from Pune. The first to respond were local police and fire officials.
“Due to continuous spraying of water, the flammability of the chemical has decreased. How many kilos of gas have been leaked is a matter of investigation. The gas has an impact of 6-7 hours and had been leaking since 2.30 a.m., so the impact has already decreased, “he said.
NDMA member Kamal Kishore said about 1,000 people living in nearby areas of the factory have been exposed to the gas leak.
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