Vizag Gas Leak: Ex-Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu writes to PM Modi, urges scientific probe

A day after the gas leak incident in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam which claimed 11 lives, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the central government to organise a 'scientific probe' into the Vizag Gas Leak incident.

The former Chief Minister has requested the constitution of a 'Scientific Experts Committee' to investigate the gas leak incident and the circumstances that led to the release of the toxic vapours, especially since there are conflicting reports of what the gases were.

Naidu's letter to the Prime Minister states, "The company claims that the gas leaked out was Styrene, however, there were conflicting reports of other toxic gases being present there, it needs to be investigated to understand the enduring health impacts." He has also requested that close monitoring of the ambient air quality in and around Vizag be done.

The TDP chief urged that national and international health experts be brought in to check for a thorough assessment of the affected so that appropriate measures are taken and a suitable compensation is handed out.

Gas leaked from the LG Polymers chemical plant in Vizag's RR Venkatapuram village in the early hours of Thursday has affected over 1,000 people in nearby villages. The styrene gas leaked from the multinational LG Polymers Plant quickly spread to villages in a five-kilometre radius. The leak took place around 2.30 am on Thursday. 

Within hours of the matter being reported, Prime Minister Modi had called a meeting of National Disaster Management Authority officials at his residence to hold discussions over the incident with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in attendance.

Meanwhile, taking note of the matter, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to LG Polymers, Union Environment Ministry, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and others. It has also directed the company to deposit an initial amount of Rs 50 crore as compensation for the damages.

Earlier, the Centre for Wildlife and Environmental Litigation Foundation approached the NGT seeking constitution of a high-level committee, comprising of judges and officers, not below the rank of Joint Secretary, to enquire into Vizag gas leak incident and direct the state to ensure the protection and security of the residents of the surrounding area.