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NHRC Issues Notices To Centre, Andhra Pradesh Over Deaths Due To Vizag Gas Leak

At a time when human lives are at stake due to Covid-19, the tragedy has come as a bolt from the blue for the people, NHRC says.

People comfort a man during an evacuation operation in Vizag. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)
People comfort a man during an evacuation operation in Vizag. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the central and Andhra Pradesh governments over deaths due to the Vizag gas leak, officials said Thursday.

A major gas leak at LG Polymers Pvt. Ltd.’s plant near Visakhapatnam has killed eleven people and affected more than 1,000 in the area, the central government said. The leak happened in the facility's refrigeration unit when workers were prepping up the plant for post-lockdown reopening.

According to an NHRC statement, Right to Life of the victims has been grossly violated. At a time when human lives across the country are at stake due to Covid-19 pandemic, the gruesome tragedy has come as a bolt from the blue for the people, the human rights panel said.

The NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports on the death toll and over thousand others falling sick due to the incident. The Vizag gas leak has reportedly affected people within a radius of 3 km. Many people could be seen lying on the roads while others complained of difficulty in breathing and rashes on their bodies, it said.

Accordingly, the Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, seeking a detailed report in the matter, including the status of the rescue operation, treatment provided to the sick and relief and rehabilitation provided by state authorities to the affected families.

NHRC has also asked the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to examine whether norms laid down under relevant provisions of the law are being implemented at the particular industrial unit and to submit a report to the commission, it said.

Responses from all these authorities are expected in four weeks, the statement said.