RNI No. APENG/2018/764698 *Late City Vol. 2 Issue 187 VIJAYAWADA, SUNDAY MAY 10, 2020; PAGES 12 `3 *Air Surcharge Extra if Applicable www.dailypioneer.com VIJAYAWADA | SUNDAY | MAY 10, 2020 vijayawada 02 the tanks, the reasons for LG Polymers' failure to store suf- ‘ALL AND ficient quantities of the Playing with fire in the City of Destiny inhibitor, and occurrence of a SUNDRY’ second leak on Thursday chemical factory to re-locate Warren Anderson did, alleged- those who died, those who suf- night. The answers are impor- its plant far away from Big names in the public sector such as ly with the connivance of the fered physical injury and men- tant as there were fears of a wo South Korean multi- Gopalpatnam, a residential HPCL, GAIL and Hindustan Shipyard Rajiv Gandhi government, tal trauma. blast if the temperature had nationals doing business area in Vizag. after methyl isocyanate leaked Neither LG Polymers nor exceeded a certain threshold. Tin Andhra Pradesh, Kia The gas leak in LG Polymers besides Coromandel Fertilisers stand cheek from the Union Carbide fac- Kia Motors is packing its bags, Clearly the LG Polymers Motors and LG Polymers, have that killed 11 persons and led by jowl, dangerously close to the Naval tory and killed thousands of but these developments reflect plant is no longer sustainable been in the news recently for to hospitalisation of hundreds dockyard. In this deadly mix, accidents people in Bhopal in 1984. adversely on the AP govern- in Gopalpatnam, a crowded good as well as for bad reasons. is a poor advertisement for the Commenting on the judg- ment's discipline and commit- residential area. I can say from The former refused to be bul- Jagan Mohan Reddy govern- have happened with alarming regularity, ment delivered by the Supreme ment to promote an environ- first-hand experience as a res- lied by avaricious leaders of the ment's desperate attempt to taking a heavy toll on industrial workers Court on the Bhopal gas ment where industries feel ident of that area during 1974- YSR Congress, while the latter make Vizag as Andhra's capi- tragedy in 1989, former Chief safe from extortionists and, at 75 that it posed an environ- tried to take advantage of lax tal. The gas tragedy is a setback Justice of India P.N. Bhagwati the same time, respect and fear mental threat even then officials by reopening a facto- to these efforts as Vizag has larity, taking a heavy toll on are quite stringent.These rules said, 'the multinational has laws of the land. because it handled large quan- ry handling hazardous chem- again proved that it is a veri- industrial workers. were not followed by workers S NAGESH KUMAR won and the people of India The five-member commit- tities of alcohol for its distillery. icals. table tinderbox housing The A. P. Pollution Control or supervisors handling the Former Resident Editor, have lost'. The government did tee of IAS officers appointed by Pungent smell perennially Three months ago, Kia sundry industries and refiner- Board, the District Industries chemical due to laxity or inad- The Hindu not want to own responsibili- the Chief Minister may serve hung in the air, caused by Motors, a subsidiary of ies that process toxic chemicals Centre and the burgeoning equate knowledge. Out of the ty for striking a deal plainly well to suggest measures, smoke emanating from its Hyundai, threatened to relo- and fuels. revenue machinery must two tanks for storage of against the interests of the vic- including safety audits, to pre- narrow chimneys.Anti-pollu- cate its Rs. 8,000 crore plant Big names in the public sec- answer why they exist at all in styrene, one had 1,800 tonnes officials.Its leakage and conse- tims. It used the judiciary… vent accidents and fix respon- tion laws and the machinery to from Anantapur to Tamil tor such as HPCL, GAIL and Vizag. Styrene, the killer gas, of the chemical against its quent harm to the public is and the court fell a victim to sibility on those who gave the enforce them were almost Nadu, after YSRC leaders tried Hindustan Shipyard besides which wrought havoc in capacity of 2,400 tonnes. nothing short of criminal neg- this strategy" (by concluding green light for reopening the non-existent then. to arm-twist it demanding Coromandel Fertilisers stand Gopalpatnam and five villages Surely, the handling of such ligence by the factory manage- that US$ 470 million was 'ade- factory during the lockdown. The real tragedy is that we cuts in its business. Now, we cheek by jowl, dangerously around, is included in the huge quantity of styrene which ment and the government quate' compensation).We don't Several technical questions have numerous laws and mul- have a situation in close to the Naval dockyard. In Manufacture, Storage and vaporises at higher tempera- agencies involved. The sus- want another Bhopal. LG has need to be answered such as tiple agencies to enforce them Visakhapatnam where public this deadly mix, accidents have Import of Hazardous tures, required due diligence pects must be taken into cus- deep pockets and must pay the reasons for not maintain- now. Yet, the result is the anger may force an errant happened with alarming regu- Chemical Rules, 1989 which by the factory and government tody lest they escape like handsomely to families of ing optimum temperature in same, if not worse. LG POLYMERS GAS LEAK DGP denies collusion with LG Polymers Pawan prohibits party activists PNS n VISAKHAPATNAM n The DGP said, “The n Gautam Sawang and of days, he added. Experts government has formed a Special Chief Secretary from the Petroleum from taking part in protests Director General of Police high-powered committee to (Industries) Karikal Valaven University, Indian Institute of n Gautam Sawang refuted the probe into the leakage of on Saturday inspected LG Chemical Technology and a PNS VIJAYAWADA n The TDP has been n Jana Sena chief observed, “The allegations that police are try- Styrene vapour from LG Polymers plant and few others are coming here to protesting joining the gas focus should be on extending ing to shield the management review the situation, he added. Jana Sena president Pawan Polymers and based on the interacted with the technical affected seeking relocation relief measures to the gas- of LG Polymers registering NDRF’s 10th Battalion Kalyan on Saturday exhorted of the chemical factory affected, but not on cases under soft sections. report, police will further and experts teams on the Commandant Zahid Khan, the party leaders and activists He said, “The government investigate into the case and leakage of the Styrene who closely monitored the not to join protests being and establish a protests and has formed a high-powered will initiate action against the vapour and measures taken rescue operations in the staged by other political par- hospital in place of demonstrations. committee to probe into the responsible persons” by the teams Styrene vapour leakage from ties, including the TDP, the factory. In a Some political outfits leakage of Styrene vapour LG Polymers, said that they demanding relocation of LG statement, Pawan are demonstrating from LG Polymers and based can’t stipulate the exact Polymers in Visakhapatnam as Kalyan called upon on the LG Polymers on the report, police will fur- the Styrene vapour leakage have claimed 12 lives and tions and parts of the country, amount of containment in it is not appropriate to protest the party activists under gas leak issue. The ther investigate into the case incident was involved with leftover over 400 people hos- including New Delhi, will be the incident. at this hour. Moreover, it would no circumstances they protests contribute only and will initiate action against many technical components pitalised. visiting the LG Polymers plant He said that there is no fur- increase the risk of the should protest joining spiking the number of the responsible persons.” and elements, hence, the high- “Everything is normal and and they will review the situ- ther danger and it will take Coronavirus. hands with the affected or Coronavirus cases leading to The DGP and Special Chief powered committee would there is no need to panic. Just ation at the plant and give final one or two days to declare the The TDP has been protest- other political parties situation slipping out of hand.” Secretary (Industries) Karikal ascertain the reasons behind to be on the safer side as per clearance, he added. RR Venkatapuram as a safe ing joining the gas affected Valaven on Saturday inspect- the incident. the protocol, people within the Karikal Valaven said that zone, he added. Experts in seeking relocation of the chem- ed LG Polymers plant and Gautam Sawang and three km radius of the plant the temperature at the Styrene Chemical, Biological, ical factory and establish a hos- on Saturday. Coronavirus cases leading to interacted with the technical Karikal Valaven said that the were asked to stay away from storage tank where the vapour Radiological and Nuclear dis- pital in place of the factory. In He observed, “The focus situation slipping out of hand.” and experts teams on the situation was normal and their homes for 48-hours and leak occurred has come down aster management from a statement, Pawan Kalyan should be on extending relief Therefore, he prohibited leakage of the Styrene vapour under control at RR the period will end on to around 100 degree Celsius NDRF and scientists from called upon the party activists measures to the gas-affected, the Jana Sena activists and and measures taken by the Venkatapuram in Vizag city Sunday,” he added.