Four-and-half years after gas leak, LG Polymers to provide ₹60 crore ex-gratia to the victims

LG Polymers India offers ex-gratia to gas leak victims' families, establishes foundation for long-term support, totaling ₹120 crore.

Four-and-half years after styrene gas leak at RR Venkatapuram, which resulted in 11 fatalities and affected thousands of residents living in the neighbourhood, LG Polymers India has come forward to pay ex-gratia to the families of the victims and also start a foundation to contribute to the future needs like health, education and employment. of the affected.

Addressing the media at the collectorate here on Tuesday, head of corporate communications of LG Polymers Paul said that the company has decided to contribute ₹120 crore to relief efforts, in two phases. In first phase, ₹60 crore will be disbursed immediately to the family members of the victims and in the second phase, another ₹60 crore will be used to establish a foundation dedicated to long-term measures for the betterment of the affected people.

“While we cannot change the past, we believe that this commitment will help the families to rebuild their lives and help for their betterment,” he said.

Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had told the company’s representatives, when they met him recently, to take steps to help the victims of gas leak.

The Member of Parliament said that the victims were identified based on the association formed by the affected persons and also the report submitted by a government-constituted committee which investigated the gas leak. He also said that the officials of the district administration and the members of the LG Polymers gas leak affected victims association discussed the identification of the eligible persons.

District Collector Harendhira Prasad said that as many as 6,121 persons from seven villages in the region will receive the ex-gratia/compensation within a week. The compensation will depend upon how severely the family was affected. The payment from the company would be in addition to the compensation of ₹25 lakh to ₹1 crore paid by the government after the gas leak. The relief is being provided without considering the outcome of the ongoing cases against the LG Polymers in the courts as well as the National Green Tribunal, he said.

Visakhapatnam West MLA PGVR Naidu alias Gana Babu said that though compensation was paid by the government after the accident, most of the victims were not satisfied, as there was no clarity over future relief. He said that many victims are suffering from long-term health issues. He also alleged that the previous government gave many assurances, including construction of a super speciality hospital, but it has failed to lend a helping hand to the victims.