United News of India
Visakhapatnam, May 7: At least 11 people including a child were killed and hundreds took ill after styrene gas leaked from LG Polymer factory in this port town of Andhra Pradesh early on Thursday.
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy announced a compensation of one crore each to the kin of deceased.
Talking to media persons after calling on those who are admitted in King George Hospital here, Reddy said Rs 1 lakh each as compensation would be given to those who will be in hospitals for two to three days for undergoing treatment and compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to those who are on ventilators.
He said those people who fell ill and taken primary care treatment in hospitals will be given a compensation of Rs 25,000 each.
NDRF DG S N Pradhan in New Delhi said the situation in the area is under control and the NDRF team will remain there to assist the local administration.
He said that the effectiveness of gas Styrene, which leaked from the LG Polymer factory there, reduces after five to six hours. The gas has become less effective with passage of time and it is expected that its impact in the atmosphere will reduce further. People were evacuated in the radius of about three KM from the site of the gas leak, he added.
The gas leakage was occurred at 2.30 AM on the intervening night of Wednesday/ Thursday and first the local residents contacted local administration and around 5.30 Am the Visakhapanam RRC unit of NDRF reached the site and evacuated 200-250 families(500 plus people) and door to door search operation was conducted.
Pradhan said over 200 persons affected with gas leakage were taking treatment in different hospitals here and among them the condition of 25-30 people was critical and 80 persons are on ventilator.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation in the meeting of NDMA and directed to mobilize all required resources not only from the state but from the country if needed.
The gas leak occurred at RR Venkatnagar, 20 KM away from here.
The Chief Minister said a committee was constituted, headed by Special Chief Secretary, Enviroment and Forests with Visakhapatnam Collector and Comissioner of Police and others as members into the gas leakage incident and further steps will be taken after it submits its report to the government.
Earlier the Chief Minister arrived here from Vijayawada to console the victims admitted in hospitals.
Earlier hundreds of panic stricken people had been rushed to hospitals with complaints of burning sensation in the eyes and breathing problems.
Police reached the affected villages near the plant after the incident and engaged in evacuation operations.
The plant which was shut since March 24 following the lockdown reopened on Wednesday.
PM Modi who took stock of the situation following the gas leak had promised all possible help to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the gas leak incident was :disturbing” adding that the Centre was monitoring the situation.
Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police Damodar Gowtam Sawang said the situation was brought under control at 0530 hours after infusing Neutralizers.
He said about 800 people or more have been evacuated and taken to hospitals and among them 246 persons are undergoing treatment with 20 of them on Ventilator in Critical Ward, some provided with oxygen and the rest were discharged.
The Styrene gas from the plant spread over a radius of about three kilometres, affecting at least five villages including R.R. Venkatapuram, Padmapuram, B.C. Colony and Kamparapalem.
Gas Leak: 11 dead in Vizag
