NewsClick

NewsClick
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Covid-19
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • International
  • Sports
  • Articles
  • Videos
search
menu

INTERACTIVE ELECTION MAPS

image/svg+xml
  • All Articles
  • Newsclick Articles
  • All Videos
  • Newsclick Videos
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • Sports
  • International
  • Africa
  • Latin America
  • Palestine
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka
  • US
  • West Asia
About us
Subscribe
Follow us Facebook - Newsclick Twitter - Newsclick RSS - Newsclick
close menu
×
For latest updates on nCOVID-19 around the world visit our INTERACTIVE COVID MAP
Politics
India

Visakhapatnam Gas Leak: Police Arrest Left Leaders, Book Residents for Protests Demanding Closure of LG Polymers

On May 10, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) leaders Gangarao, Kumar, Venkat Reddy, Appalraju and Venkata Rao were arrested and taken to Gopalapatnam police station.
Newsclick Report
11 May 2020
Visakhapatnam Gas Leak: Police Arrest Left Leaders, Book Residents for Protests Demanding Closure of LG Polymers

On Sunday night, Visakhapatnam Police arrested several left party leaders from their residences and booked 48 others for joining protests demanding the closure of LG Polymers Pvt. Limited. The plant was the one from which styrene gas leaked on May 7 and killed 12 persons and caused illness to several hundreds of people.

The long term effects of the gas leakage are yet to be assessed by officials. The gas leakage has also caused other damages, killing animals including cattle, dogs and rats and destroying horticulture plantations in the surrounding areas of the plant. According to initial reports, the styrene vapours have spread over a five kilometre radius around the plant where the villages of RR Venkatapuram, Gopalapatnam and other hamlets are located, on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam city. According to reports, the residents of these villages have moved out as officials began disinfecting the affected region; hundreds have been hospitalised in Visakhapatnam.

The state government is attempting to threaten leaders and victim families of the gas leakage by lodging cases against them, said J. V. Satyanarayana Murthy, state assistant secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI). “The day after the tragic incident, residents of Venkatapuram and Gopalapatnam began staging protests in front of the LG Polymers plant. The Police seem to have identified young protestors and booked them alongside several left leaders for joining the agitation,” Murthy told Newsclick.

On May 10, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) leaders Gangarao, Kumar, Venkat Reddy, Appalraju and Venkata Rao were arrested and taken to Gopalapatnam police station.

Last week, the state government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore for the families of the deceased and others affected by the gas leak. The government has also constituted a special committee to probe the incident and submit a report within a month.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the styrene gas leakage has contaminated water bodies in the vicinity of the plant.

“Since this is the first time that styrene gas leakage has occurred, a proper scientific assessment of its impact must be studied and the victims must be given special identification cards in order to provide treatment free of cost for any sort of future illnesses,” said Murthy.

LG Polymers Violations

Left parties have alleged that LG Polymers has been operating without obtaining necessary environmental clearances from the central government authorities.

Days before the lockdown, on March 17, LG Polymers India Pvt. Ltd. had applied for permission to expand its capacity from 415 tonnes per day (TPD) to 655 TPD on its existing site of 213 acres.

On May 8, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) slapped an interim penalty of Rs 50 crore on LG Polymers India and sought responses from the Centre and state authorities.

Get the latest reports & analysis with people's perspective on Protests, movements & deep analytical videos, discussions of the current affairs in your Telegram app. Subscribe to NewsClick's Telegram channel & get Real-Time updates on stories, as they get published on our website.
LG Polymers
Visakhapatnam gas leak
styrene gas
visakhapatnam accident
NGT
CPI
Related Stories
Gandhi Martyrdom Day

Gandhi Martyrdom Day: Left Parties and Congress Take out March

TN Farmers to Burn Farm Laws for Bhogi Festival, Picket Raj Bhavan on Republic Day

TN Farmers to Burn Farm Laws for Bhogi Festival, Picket Raj Bhavan on Republic Day

Neyveli Boiler Blast: NGT Tells Centre to Conduct Safety Audit of All Thermal Power Stations in 6 Months

Neyveli Boiler Blast: NGT Tells Centre to Conduct Safety Audit of All Thermal Power Stations in 6 Months

tn farmers.

Bharat Bandh: TN Farmers Mobilise Support, Left Parties Continue Solidarity Protests

left parties

'2nd War of Independence to Fight Fascism’: Say Leaders of Left and Secular Parties in Kolkata

TN this Week: Cyclone Burevi Damages Crops in Delta Districts, Left Parties and AIKSCC Continue Protests Against Farm Laws

TN this Week: Cyclone Burevi Damages Crops in Delta Districts, Left Parties and AIKSCC Continue Protests Against Farm Laws

 Left Parties Protest in Support of Delhi’s Farmers

Bihar: Left Parties Protest in Support of Delhi’s Farmers, Burn Effigies of PM Modi

26th nov strike wb.

Bengal Workers, Farmers Ready for Nov 26 General Strike; Artists’ Outfit Extends Support

Kerala Govt Not to Implement Police Act After ‘Apprehensions’ from Some Quarters: Vijayan

Kerala Govt Not to Implement Police Act After ‘Apprehensions’ from Some Quarters: Vijayan

Sitaram Yechury

Kerala Police Act Amendment Ordinance Will be Reconsidered: Yechury

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share

Related Stories

Mohd. Imran Khan

Bihar: Opposition Mahagathbandhan Continues Protest against Farm Laws and Rising Prices

22 February 2021
Patna: Bihar’s Leader of O
Ayaskant Das

Meghalaya: Scourge of Illegal Coal Mining Persists Despite Ban

06 February 2021
New Delhi: Illegal coal mining operations allegedly continue to prosper in Meghalaya despite a ban imposed upon its extraction in the s
Mohd. Imran Khan

Bihar: After Successful Human Chain, Farmers Gear up for Chakka Jam on February 6

04 February 2021
Patna: After the

Pagination

  • Next page ››

More

  • Jan Swastha Abhiyan

    Need to Regulate Private Sector Though Clinical Establishment Act, Say Public Health Experts

  • Bareily Airport

    UP: Teachers Called at Dawn for Decorating Stage Ahead of CM’s Visit, Bareilly BSA Draws Flak

  • 100 days of farmers protest

    KMP Highway Blockade: Farmers Prepare for Elections

  • 100 Days: Farmers Block KMP Expressway, Leave Political Message for Elections

    100 Days: Farmers Block KMP Expressway, Leave Political Message for Elections

  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with
about