There will be no escaping for LG Polymers after the final report is tabled by the five-member expert committee that was constituted by the State government and that from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), said Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao.
Based on the reports of the committees that are probing the styrene vapour leak from the chemical plant that killed 12 persons and hospitalising over 350 from the neighbouring villages and colonies, action will be initiated, he said, addressing a press conference here on Monday.
Referring to a question that the plant did not have the requisite environment clearance, he said that all angles are being probed and decision on harsher punishment, including shifting or closure of the plant, awaits the reports.
He also accepted that as per the initial investigation, there is an indication of negligence on part of the management in plant operation.
“We are tightening our case so that there is no element of doubts and they can (management) can slip away in the court of law,” said Mr. Srinivasa Rao.
The Minister also informed that apart from giving away ₹1 crore to the family members of the deceased and ₹1 lakh to the people who were hospitalised and ₹10 lakh to those who were put on ventilators, cash relief to the tune of ₹20 crore has been given away to the affected people.
“Based on enumeration by the GVMC, about 19,800 people from 6,398 families from 17 affected villages have been identified and given ₹10,000 each. The State government has also distributed ₹8.75 lakh to those who have lost their cattle. And all these were done in a week’s time after the incident,” he said.
The Minister also said that based on Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s assurance, job will be provided to at least one dependant from the family of the deceased.
NEERI report
GVMC Commissioner G. Srijana said that the GVMC has already conducted two tests on the Meghadrigedda reservoir water and have found that there is no contamination. “But we will start drawing only after receiving the final report from the NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute). We are also awaiting the report on groundwater from the NEERI,” she said.
Commissioner of Police Rajeev Kumar Meena, who is one among the five-member team, said that investigation is in progress.
