TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu has written to Union Minister Piyush Goyal requesting him to send medical experts to treat people affected by Styrene gas in Visakhapatnam.
Naidu copied the letter to Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health & Family Welfare as well, with a request to provide support immediately. The letter was also copied to Member Secretary, NDMA, Government of India, New Delhi for information and necessary action and to the Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, with request to take immediate necessary and follow up action.
"It is extremely saddening to know the leakage of Styrene Gas from LG Polymers India Private Limited located in RRV Puram, Naidu Thota, Visakhapatnam. As of now few people died, while around 2000 people have fallen sick due to the leakage," Nadidu said in the letter.
"In this context, I would like to bring your attention primarily towards public health. Since, there may not be required expertise in Visakhapatnam city to treat the people affected with Styrene Gas, I request you to send medical experts from India and Globally to treat the victims of Styrene Gas. Further, COVID-19 infects the lungs and reduces the immunity of the person. Hence, it is essential that the medical aid should be two-pronged keeping in mind Styrene Gas and COVID-19," he stated in the letter.
The TDP chief added, "Necessary equipment to estimate the radius affected by Styrene Gas may be immediately provided for analysing the radius affected by Styrene Gas. All the people and mals in the estimated affected radius may be evacuated at once and provide them with necessary medical aid. In this crucial time, it is also vital for us to recognise the importance of mals in general and domestic mals in particular. Veterinary experts may be deployed to treat the mals."
"It is also essential to immediately close down the LG Polymers Unit and initiate a thorough enquiry about the gas leakage. Subsequent to enquiry it is necessary to shift the entire unit to Special Economic Zone (SEZ) that has no population in the vicinity. It is important to focus on mitigating further loss of lives and in the long run to minimise the adverse health effects on the people of Visakhapatnam," he further states.
"In all these actions, it is necessary that the Government of India provide expertise and guide the Government of Andhra Pradesh until the issue of gas leakage is brought to its logical conclusion," he added.
At least eight people have been killed, including a child, and about 120 admitted to hospital after styrene gas leak in RR Venkatapuram village here on Thursday.
The mishap took place at LG Polymers industry early on Thursday morning in Visakhapatnam.
( With inputs from ANI )