Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he spoke to the officials of Ministry of Home Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam and he was closely monitoring it. He also said he is praying for everyone’s safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam.
A tweet by the PMO read ‘in the wake of the situation in Visakhapatnam, PM @narendramodi has called for a meeting of the NDMA at 11 a.m.’
NDRF directed for relief
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy instructed Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney and Director General of Police Gautam Sawang to closely monitor the situation arising from the gas leak at LG Polymers’ factory. He also directed the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to take necessary relief measures.
Mr. Kishan Reddy stated in a press release that he was personally looking into the issue and that hundreds of people were affected by the gas leak.
He said he spoke to the Home Secretary to the Government of India and sought all possible assistance to the State government.
‘Evacuate area of 5-km radius’
Meanwhile, BJP State president Kanna Lakshminarayana suggested that people in a radius of five kilometres from the site of the mishap should be evacuated to safety and the sick be treated in private hospitals as well to deal with the contingency.
MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao tweeted that the State government should deploy all resources to save lives and that the Centre offered help to the State.
Expressing shock at the incident, Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan said the State government should extend all possible assistance to those affected by the disaster and stressed the need for State Pollution Control Board to crack the whip on polluting industries in Visakhapatnam. He pointed out that industrial mishaps have been common in the city.
