National Crisis Management Committee examines long-term impact of Vizag gas leak
The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, on Friday reviewed for the second consecutive day the situation arising out of the gas leak at a factory in Andhra Pradesh's Vishakhapatnam.
At a meeting of the NCMC, attended by officials of the central and the state governments, the cabinet secretary took stock of the current situation, the preparedness, the rescue and relief operations, and directed that all assistance, as maybe required by the state, be provided to mitigate the situation, an official statement said.
On Thursday, a leak of chemical vapour from LG Polymers on the outskirts of the coastal city killed 11 people and over 350 people who inhaled the toxic gas are in the hospital.
The chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh briefed the NCMC on the ground situation as well as the actions taken by them to evacuate people and contain the leakage at the plant.
It was informed that all efforts were being taken by them to prevent any further emissions from the tanks. Issues related to the long-term impact of the gas on health and on the quality of water and air were also discussed.
Consultations between national and international experts on chemical safety and industrial processes and the officials on site would be carried out through video-conferencing, and a team of such experts would also be flown in as per requirements, the statement said.
Similar consultations with medical experts would also be arranged to determine the protocols to be followed. Requirement of assistance by way of dispatch of inhibitor chemicals was also to be ensured, it said.
Secretaries of the Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chemicals and Petrochemicals and Pharmaceuticals, DGs of NDRF and Health Services, Director, AIIMS, and officers from MHA and the Central Pollution Control Board attended the meeting.
The chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh joined the meeting through video-conferencing, along with officials of Vishakhapatnam district.
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