Visakhapatnam: People want the plant shifted

Visakhapatnam: Vizag gas leak incident has affected movement of trains from Simhachalam North railway station, including at least nine Shramik Special trains ferrying stranded migrant workers to their home states: Railways

c People in areas around the LG Polymer in Venkatapuram are demanding that the plant be shifted to some other place. Locals say that they have been demanding shifting of the plant for long. Whenever there used to be some smell, officials used to come study and go. Representations to MLAs and others also did not work.

Civic body tells people to stay indoors

c The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation asked people staying near the chemical plant where a gas leak took place in the early hours of Thursday to stay indoors and use a wet cloth to cover their nose and mouth.

c The Central government is mobilizing a specialized CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear materials) team from Pune and they will be flown to the site, says an NDMA official. A specialised technical force from the medical perspective is also being mobilised.

c Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Dr P K Mishra, held a high-level review meeting with Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, NDMA, NDRF, Director AIIMS, and medical experts on Visaphapatnam gas leak situation, says a Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson. Dr Mishra has directed sending of team of experts to Visakhapatnam and also measures for relief, rescue and short term as also long term medical impact.

c Dr D Raghunatha Rao, former Director, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre said styrene is primarily used in the production of polystyrene plastics and resins. Acute (short-term) exposure to styrene in humans results in mucous membrane and eye irritation, and

gastrointestinal effects.

"Depending on the intensity of inhaling the poisonous gas, a person could face complications in the lungs and inhaling oxygen. It could lead to fatality due to damage to central nervous system," said Dr. C V Rao, Director, GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences.