Former IAS EAS Sarma writes to CM Jagan, demands action against promoters of LG Polymers

Amid gas leakage at LG Polymers Visakhapatnam, the former Secretary to central government has expressed serious concern to take action against the promoters of LG Polymers. He said he understands that there was a serious leakage of toxic gases at the manufacturing site of LG Polymers in Venkatapuram village near Pendurthi on the outskirts of Vizag.

"I gathered that hundreds of people up to 3km around the site, especially women and children, have got exposed to the gases and have fallen seriously ill. They are being evacuated to different hospitals in the city. It is unfortunate that such a ghastly accident should take place at a time when the district administration is busy engaged in COVID operations, " Sarma told.

There are some important aspects that he brought to the notice of chief minister about this accident,

LG Polymers is a South Korean company, constantly pampered by the successive governments. It stands on government ceiling surplus land valuing hundreds of crores of rupees and the company had dragged the government into litigation when the government tried to take back the land.

Despite this, how did APPCB grant Consent for Establishment (CFE) and Consent for Operation (CFO) around the beginning of 2019 for the unit's expansion? APPCB did not apparently take clearance either from the State govt or from the Union Ministry of Environment.

In the first instance, this unit being a highly polluting one and it's being close to residential areas, APPCB should not have allowed it to expand its operations. How did APPCB readily permit such an expansion?

This is not the first industrial accident to take place in the outskirts of Visakhapatnam. Around 30 to 40 accidents took place in the past resulting in several workers and civilians losing their lives, with no promoter prosecuted and no officer of the State govt punished. It implies collusion between the officers and the promo