Avanthi Srinivas undermines protest of angry gas leak victims, says attempt to hurt Vizag brand image

The toxic gas leak has left 12 dead, including two minors, and hundreds of people were hospitalized. Hundreds of people fell like a pack of cards, some choked while hailing the fumes emitted from LG Polymers, some morning walkers collapsed, children and women were found unconscious on the pavements. Tiny tots stranded on the pavement, looking for their mothers, mothers looking for their children. Anger simmered on the streets of R R Venkatapuram with protesting residents demanding justice to the gas leak victims. Hundreds of residents gathered outside LP Polymers with bodies of those who died in the gas leak to protest against the government’s inaction over relocation of LG Polymers.

In an insult to the protesting residents, Tourism Minister Avanthi Srinivas said the TDP was trying to mudsling the government by forcing the residents to protest outside LG Polymers with the bodies of the dead. “Desist from instigating people,” he said. He tried to undermine the protest and politicize it by making most insensitive remarks saying the protest outside the LG Polymers by angry residents was orchestrated by “TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and company”. Further, he stated that the motive behind orchestrating such a protest was to hurt the ‘brand image’ of Visakhapatnam.

He stated that the Andhra Pradesh government was not favouring LG Polymers company and that TDP president and former chief minister was trying to tarnish the ‘brand image’ of Visakhapatnam. Patting the back of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, the minister said the state government was doing everything possible to mitigate the crisis. “It is not fair to say that this government is acting irresponsibly. We have announced Rs 1 crore compensation, we are ensuring that the victims get best medical treatment, we have set up shelter homes to the victims, we are working round-the-clock. We have to salute the police for the good work they did and averted a big disaster.”

The angry residents pulled up Avanthi Srinivas and other local YSRCP leaders when they tried to pacify them. “No medical camp was conducted. The gas and fire detecting systems installed in the company failed. Does the government think it can absolve itself by giving compensation. The government is supporting the promoters of the company. Have you arrested single official of the company,” an angry resident questioned Avanti Srinvias. The angry residents pulled up the minister, posed some tought questions like why no company officials consoled the victims and why no case was booked against the company’s officials. The minister had no words. He repeatedly said the government awarded Rs 1 crore compensation. Instead of providing answers to the angry residents, the minister thinks Naidu was indulging in Twitter politics and that the TDP was trying to hurt the brand image of Vizag.

On Saturday, Naidu took to Twitter to question Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy why no arrests were made so far and why no action was taken against the officials of LG Polymers. In his tweet, he wrote, “Filled with fear, Vizagites are sleeping on the roads. Local residents are protesting on the streets for justice. Bereaved families are weeping alongside the bodies of their loved ones. Not a single arrest made nor a single asset seized. Where is @ysjagan? #VizagDemandsJustice.”

Naidu posted several visuals that show the extent of damange caused by the gas leak, trees burnt by the toxic fumes and people stranded on pavements. “These visuals are a manifestation of the devastation caused by the release of poisonous gases in the #VizagGasLeak. The toll on the health of residents is unimaginable. Yet, @ysjagan is making every effort to conceal the extent of damage #VizagDemandsJusticehttps://t.co/PI3uxb7Vba.”

Former TDP MLA Kinjarapu Atchannaidu who met the families of gas victims to console them demanded that LG Polymers should give Rs 10 crore to each of the families who lost their loved ones in the toxic gas leak. “Instead of meeting and consoling the victims’ families in the affected areas, the Chief Minister had met LG Polymers officials,” he said.