The five-member committee formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to inquire into the gas leak incident at LG Polymers factory in Visakhapatnam submitted its report on Monday.
B. Seshasayana Reddy, a retired judge, who is heading the committee informed the NGT that gross negligence on the part of the factory management resulted in the accident. He said safety protocols had been ignored and human error was to be blame. Besides, the inquiry panel said the factory did not have an effective on-site emergency plan.
Twelve persons died and hundreds were hospitalised after inhaling toxic styrene gas that escaped from a massive storage tank on the premises of LG Polymers at R.R. Venkatapuram in the port city in the early hours of May 7.
More victims
Meanwhile, Y. Kanakaraju (45), who was reportedly affected by the monomer vapour from the plant at Venkatapuram, died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
The victim was suffering with respiratory problems, nausea and bloating of stomach for the past five days, according to CPI(M) Greater Visakha City Committee secretary B. Ganga Rao.
He alleged that the number of victims of the styrene vapour leak was increasing with each passing day. He recalled that P. Venkayamma (73) of Venkatapuram had died while going treatment on the night of May 26. While her relatives claimed that she had died due to respiratory problems, doctors said that she suffered dehydration.
He said that Satish Kumar of Nandamuri Nagar was admitted to a private hospital with burning sensation in the eyes, bloating of stomach and respiratory problems on Sunday. A week ago, Karteek was admitted in a critical condition to the King George Hospital (KGH).
“The post-mortem report of Venkayamma is still awaited. In Kanakaraju’s case, since he died at a private hospital, an FIR has to be lodged with the police and the body sent to the KGH for post-mortem,” Dr. G. Arjuna, Superintendent, said on Monday evening.
‘Procedure ignored’
Meanwhile, CPI(M) State secretariat member Ch. Narasinga Rao alleged that the body of Kanakaraju was sent to his home without filing an FIR with the police or sending it for post-mortem.
