Centre allows airlifting of special chemical to check further damage at gas leak factory

The central government on the receipt of the request by Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy allowed airlifting of a special chemical from Gujarat to avoid any further damage at the factory in Visakhapatnam, where the gas leak took place.

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday allowed airlifting of a special chemical from Gujarat to avoid any further damage at the factory in Visakhapatnam, where the gas leak took place, officials said.

The move came after LG Polymers India Pvt. Ltd requested the central government for airlifting 500 kg of chemical PTBC from Daman airport to Visakhapatnam which would be useful in avoiding any further damage due to the leakage of Styrene gas. The consignment was sourced from Vapi in Gujarat, an official said.

On receipt of the request, the issue was taken up by Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who instantly instructed the authorities to facilitate the airlifting of the chemical, the official said.

It is learnt that the chemical has already been dispatched to Vizag along with movement of chemical handling.

This substance helps in neutralising the Styrene monomer and this will immediately help in managing and controlling any further damage due to this gas, another official said.

The gas leak took place at the LG Polymer plant at Gopalapatnam on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam in the early hours of Thursday that so far has claimed 11 lives.

The central government took stock of the situation and in coordination with Andhra Pradesh government and it is monitoring the situation and extending all the assistance required.

PTI report.