Uttarandhra Adhyayana Vedika president and former member of the National Human Rights Commission K.S. Chalam has sought an environmental audit of all the industries in North Andhra following the styrene monomer vapour leak at LG Polymers that killed 12 and left hundreds in hospital on May 7.
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Prof. Chalam told The Hindu that the audit should be conducted as per the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
“The whole of North Andhra has been converted into a dumping ground for polluting factories over a period of time,” Prof. Chalam said in a letter to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
He recalled how North Andhra experienced a spate of accidents due to a violation of environmental conditions.
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“We remember the recent 2019 Balaji Chemicals Factory accident at Bobbili in Vizianagaram due to violation of safety norms. Two persons were killed. About 40 industrial accidents were reported to have taken place in the three districts killing around 60 people during the last few years,” he stated.
Prof. Chalam expressed concern at Pydibhimavaram in Srikakulam district and Parawada in Visakhapatnam district being converted into a hub for hazardous pharmaceutical, chemical and petrochemical units.
Mentioning that each region had a maximum environment load bearing capacity, he said Visakhapatnam and the hinterland of North Andhra was sensitive with a beautiful coastal region on one side and the Eastern Ghats on the other. Therefore, usable land was scarce unless one destroyed the ecosystem of the region.