Tension prevailed in front of the main gate of LG Polymers in RR Venkatapuram in Visakhapatnam, as villagers carrying four dead bodies, who died due to the leakage of styrene monomer gas , staged a protest, demanding the shifting of the company, here on Saturday.
The incident took place when DGP of Andhra Pradesh D. Goutam Sawang, was visiting the accident site.
Also read | No scientific studies report styrene gas causing deaths
Over 100 villagers carrying four dead bodies staged a protest demanding that the company has to be shifted, as they now have to live with an ever present danger.
The police had to resort to a mild lathi charge to mitigate the situation. But they left only after Commissioner of Police Rajeev Kumar Meena intervened and assured them to look into their grievances.
Also read | Leakage of vapour from styrene monomer tank led to Visakhapatnam tragedy: LG
It may be recollected that in the wee hours of Thursday, at around 3.30 a.m. styrene monomer vapour leaked out of one of the two styrene storage tanks and engulfed RR Venkatapuram village and four other villages in the surrounding, spanning over a radius of 1.5 to 3 km. Inhaling the poisonous gas, 12 persons died and over 300 were hospitalised.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy immediately announced a package of ₹1 crore to the family of the deceased, jobs to one member from the family and a slew of other relief packages.
Also read | NGT directs LG Polymers India to deposit ₹50 crore
“We are happy with the package announced by the CM, but we are not satisfied with the attitude of the company. So far they did not come out and face us or even bothered to inquire about our well being. This is a chemical plant and it cannot be located in the midst of a densely populated habitation. We demand its immediate shifting, as now we have to live with this danger,” said K. Appanna, a resident of RR Venkatapuram, who lost his uncle in the incident.
Published - May 09, 2020 03:30 pm IST
