File Picture
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has demanded a probe into the gas leak incident in Visakhapatnam and asked the Centre to immediately shut down the chemical plant from where styrene vapour leaked.
11 people, including a child, died and hundreds of others were hospitalised due to the gas leakage early Thursday. The plant had reopened on Thursday after COVID-19 lockdown rules were eased.
According to reports by agency around 300 people are hospitalised and 5000 sick as result of the gas leak
Naidu urged the Centre to immediately send medical experts to the district as it may not have the required expertise to treat people affected with styrene gas.
In a letter to Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal, Naidu also asked the Centre to deploy veterinary experts to treat animals affected by the toxic gas.
Wrote to Minister of Commerce and Industry Sri @PiyushGoyal Ji on various issues pertaining to the #VizagGasLeak including bringing in specialists from India & abroad to deliver expert medical care to residents of #Visakhapatnam pic.twitter.com/M6FGPH08Vl
— N Chandrababu Naidu #StayHomeSaveLives (@ncbn) May 7, 2020
“Further, COVID-19 infects the lungs and reduces the immunity of the person. Hence, it is essential that the medical aid should be two pronged keeping in mind Styrene Gas and COVID-19,” Naidu said in the letter.
Meanwhile , Citing the gas leak tragedy in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has in precautionary measure asked managements of industries in the state restarting operations after COVID-19 lockdown to ensure all safety measures are in place.
Yediyurappa also tweeted his condolences to people who lost their lives in the tragedy
Extremely saddened by the incident in Visakhapatnam. My thoughts and prayers are with the families affected.@AndhraPradeshCM#VizagGasLeakage
— B.S. Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) May 7, 2020
