Visakhapatnam: Health issues haunt residents of several villages

Visakhapatnam: Post gas leak tragedy at RR Venkatapuram where LG polymers is located, complaints started trickling in from surrounding villagers though the government as well as the company claim the impact would be felt within 3-km radius of the company.

Though the impact of the styrene monomer leak at LG Polymers is said to be affecting those within three-km radius, in reality, it is going beyond the expected territory. In addition to the residents staying in the five villages around the company, people from other areas too complain they are also affected by the poisonous gas that claimed 12 lives and hospitalised hundreds.

However, the focus appears to be only on the five villages -- RR Venkatapuram, Nandamuri Nagar, SC/BC Colony, Kamparapalem and Padmanabha Nagar that fall within a km from the plant.

Those residing within two-three kms away from the plant such as Prahaladapuram, Vepagunta, Naidu Thota, Gopalapatnam Railway quarters, Banta Colony and Gopalapatnam main road also suffer from various health issues due to the vapour leak. Their sufferings include eye irritation, breathing problem, vomiting and skin allergies. "On May 7, when the incident happened, we had serious breathing problem. Since elderly people stay at home, we immediately left our house and rushed to our relatives' apartment and got treated in the nearby hospital. Later, we registered a complaint at Gopalapatnam police station requesting the police to take necessary action against the company's management," recalls B Gandhi Ram, a resident of Gopalapatnam.

Similarly, a loco pilot passing through North Simhachalam railway station lost his consciousness on the day the incident happened, and his colleague followed suit. Adjoining North Simhachalam, people at Railway quarters also experienced eye irritation and other health issues on the day the vicious vapour got leaked. "The residents in our apartment complex ran to safer places as the pungent smell made many of us feel suffocated. Since we inhaled the poisonous vapour for hours, who will take the responsibility of our health in future?" asks Manikanta, a resident of Naidu Thota.

A door-to-door survey within three-km radius from the plant will present the real picture of how many got affected due to the vapour leak, opine residents of Banta Colony. They say, though their colony is just one-km away from the LG Polymers and residents were badly hit due to the incident, nobody came to their rescue.