Vizag Gas Leak: AP CM YS Jagan Keeps Promise, Disburses Rs 10,000 To 20,000 Victims

AMARAVATI: Keeping his promise to provide the healing touch to the families affected by the recent gas leak disaster in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday ensured online disbursal of a compensation amount of Rs 10,000 per person to more than 20,000 victims. The Chief Minister transferred Rs 20 crore into their accounts by a click of a button from the CM Camp Office.

The Chief Minister held a video-conference meeting with some of the gas leak-affected victims. Visakhapatnam Collector Vinay Chand and GHMC Commissioner G Srujana also participated in the meeting.

Addressing them, the CM said that nowhere in the country was such a compensation package of Rs 1 crore each offered to the families of the deceased victims.

YS Jagan said that the disaster was a very painful incident and that all measures would be taken to prevent such accidents from happening in future. He also clarified that his government had not issued any permissions to LG polymers and that the 13,000 tonnes of styrene gas was sent back to LG Polymers’ home country South Korea by two ships.

Speaking about the government's response to the LG Polymers event, YS Jagan sought to remind that during the ONGC gas leak that had killed 22 people, the company had paid Rs 20 lakhs while the Centre gave Rs 3 lakhs and the State paid only Rs 2 lakhs for the victims. The Government should respond in such a way that the companies fear stern action when such an incident occurs. He said that he had then requested as the leader of opposition that the victims of the ONGC accident be paid RS one crore compensation.

YS Jagan said that when the Vizag gas leak tragedy happened, he was reminded of what he had said about the ONGC tragedy. He said that the government had reacted quickly to evacuate people of the affected villages in two hours and 110 ambulances were called in. He lauded the relief efforts carried out by the district machinery and their hard work.

''We have to move forward with a humanitarian approach and this is what we did,'' he said. ''Apart from handing over the compensation within 10 days, we have made health services available for the victims, set up relief camps, reassured villagers that it was safe,” the chief minister said while explaining the relief efforts by the state government had undertaken.

Reacting to the political rhetoric from a section of leaders, he categorically stated that LG Polymers was never granted a single license by his government since the time he came to power. “The permissions for expansion were actually given during the Chandrababu Naidu's regime,” he said. He also asserted that the entire gamut of relief operations were carried out without indulging in any political rhetoric on the ruling party’s side, YS Jagan explained.

The CM promised stern action against those responsible for the incident, based on the reports of the committees that are probing the LG polymers tragedy. He said that the district collector has been directed to receive complaints from the public if there are still any reservations in their minds about the company.

Visakhapatnam District Collector Vinay Chand told the Chief Minister that special sanitation was done in the LG Polymers gas -leak affected villages. A special medical facility has been set up for the victims also. Doctors and ambulances have been made available in the villages for any future necessities. Village clinics have also been set up for the sake of villagers in case any health problem arises.

Minister Avanthi Srinivasa Rao, Vishakhapatnam MP MVV Satyanarayana, MLA Adeep Raj, Police Commissioner RKMeena, JC Venugopala Reddy were also present in the conference.

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