Chances of long-term impact are less, says AIIMS Director

A gas leak at a chemical plant in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam on Thursday left 11 people dead and several hundred hospitalisedAndhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited hospitals where the victims have been admitted and he announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the deceased in the Visakhapatnam gas leakThe chief minister also announced Rs 10 lakh each to those undergoing treatment on ventilator support Rs 1 lakh for those who have been hospitalised due to the incident and Rs 25000 to those who took treatment as outpatients after developing health complications due to inhalation of the styrene vapourThe chief minister also announced a committee to probe into the mishap and said the government would talk to the LG Polymers management seeking job for the kin of the deceased in any of its businessesAt the review meeting the Collector informed the Chief Minister that the gas spread was limited to a 15 to 2 km area from the epicentre of the leak and that the locals were evacuated to safetyAfter the incidentPrime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a highlevel meeting where he discussed at length the measures being taken for the safety of the affected people as well as for securing the site affected by the disaster at Vizag After chairing the highlevel meeting on the Vizag gas leak tragedy PM Modi also spoke to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and assured all the required aid and assistance from the Centre to tackle the situationWhile addressing a press conference AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that the chances of the longterm impact of styrene gas which leaked from a gas plant in Andhra Pradeshs Visakhapatnam are less Clearing the air about the impact of the gas leak Dr Randeep said The chances of longterm impact are less because this compound metabolises and leaves the body quickly This is an acute exposure rather than a chronic exposure But we will have to follow up and see As of now the data doesnt suggest a significant longterm effect reports ANIParatertiary butyl catechol or PTBC a chemical made in Gujarats Vapi is currently being used in Visakhapatnam to neutralise the effect of the gas leak said an official from the Gujarat government Ashwani Kumar secretary in the Gujarat chief ministers office said that the chemical will be sent to Visakhapatnam on an urgent basisA press release from Andhra Pradesh Chief Ministers Office CMO said the official machinery swung into action immediately after the incident and evacuated people from the area after rushing those who fell ill to nearby hospitals where they are being treated for respiratory and other ailmentsSmokes rise from an LG Polymers plant following a gas leak incident in Visakhapatnam on May 7 2020 At least eight people have been killed and several hundred hospitalised after a gas leak at a chemicals plant on the east coast of India police said on May 7 Pic AFPPanicstricken people rushed out of their homes only to collapse Several cattle and livestock also succumbed to the poisonous gas pervading the airIn scenes reminiscent of the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984 the streets and hospitals of Visakhapatnam were filled with people in panic scared to breathe and unable to fathom the silent tragedy that struck themPrime Minister Narendra Modi also took to Twitter to say that he spoke to officials of MHA and NDMA about the situationSpoke to officials of MHA and NDMA regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam which is being monitored closely I pray for everyonersquos safety and wellbeing in Visakhapatnammdash Narendra Modi narendramodi May 7 2020Home Minister Amit Shah took to the microblogging site to say the incident is disturbing He wrote The incident in Vizag is disturbing Have spoken to the NDMA officials and concerned authorities We are continuously and closely monitoring the situation I pray for the wellbeing of the people of VisakhapatnamThe incident in Vizag is disturbingHave spoken to the NDMA officials and concerned authorities We are continuously and closely monitoring the situationI pray for the wellbeing of the people of Visakhapatnammdash Amit Shah AmitShah May 7 2020Chandrababu Naidu also expressed his condolences to the ones affected in the tragedyBeen in touch with TDP MLA Ganababu who is personally overseeing the rescue ops since early morning My heartfelt condolences go to all those who have lost their loved ones and those affected by this terrible tragedy VizagGasLeak Visakhapatnam pictwittercom3knevzeemMmdash N Chandrababu Naidu StayHomeSaveLives ncbn May 7 2020Chief Minister is closely monitoring the situation and has instructed the district machinery to take immediate steps and provide all help said Andhra Pradesh CMOThe Chief Minister enquired about the gas leak incident and directed the district officials to take every possible step to save lives and bring the situation under controlThe gas leakage took place at LG Polymers industry in RR Venkatapuram village here on Thursday said Tirupathi Rao District Medical amp Health Officer DMHOwith inputs from agenciesCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news