GO issued for disbursal of Rs 30 crore as compensation to gas leak victims

As announced by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, the state government on Friday issued a GO disbursing Rs 30 crore as compensation to the gas leak victims.

As per the GO, the Andhra Pradesh government directed the officials concerned to ensure immediate disbursal of Rs 1 crore compensation to the kin of the deceased, Rs 10 lakh for those on ventilator support after exposure, Rs 1 lakh for those who will stay in hospital for a day or two, and Rs 25,000 for those treated as out-patients after developing health complications. Around 15,000 people were affected by the gas leak. Each family will get Rs 10,000 to cope with the trauma.

The death toll due to the toxic gas leak rose to 12 on Friday when one more gas leak victim succumbed after inhaling toxic fumes from LG Polymers Company. Hundreds of gas leak victims were still undergoing treatment at various hospitals, some of them are critical. Nearly 24 hours after a major gas leak in South Korean LG Polymers Company, news of thick fumes billowing out of the gas tanks in the factory for the second time on Friday midnight had people scurry for their lives.

Terrified people came out of their houses with their faces covered. As rumors spread over the burst of gas tank and second wave of gas leak from the LG Polymers, thousands of residents from Pendurthi, Adivivaram, Pinigadu, Simhachalam, Bhaji Bazaar, Gopalapatnam, Sujath Nagar, NID, Prahaladapuram and Vepagunta ran out of their homes in panic. Some drove out their houses, many of the residents walked miles to escape the second wave of gas leak.

A high-powered committee comprising senior IAS officers, including chief principal secretary Neerab Kumar Prasaad, Pollution Control Board member Vivek Yadav, district Collector of Visakhapatnam Vinay Chand, City Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar Meena was tasked to conduct a thorough probe into the gas leak and submit a report within a month.