NHRC issues notices to Centre, AP govt over deaths due to gas leak in Visakhapatnam

The NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports about the death of eight persons and over five thousand others falling sick due to leakage of styrene gas in the district early morning.

The National Human Rights Commission on Thursday issued notices to the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government over deaths and suffering of people due to gas leakage from a chemical plant in Visakhapatnam district, officials said.

An affected woman on a wheelchair being taken for treatment at King George Hospital after a major chemical gas leakage at LG Polymers industry in RR Venkatapuram village, Visakhapatnam, Thursday, May 07, 2020. (PTI)

Right to life of the victims has been grossly violated.At a time when human lives across the country are at stake due to spread of Covid-19 virus and everyone is forced to stay indoor, the gruesome tragedy has come as a bolt from the blue for the people, the right panel said in a statement.

The NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports about the death of eight persons and over five thousand others falling sick due to leakage of styrene gas in the district early morning.

The leakage of the gas has reportedly affected people within a radius of about 3 kilometers. Many people could be seen lying on roads while some complained of difficulty in breathing and rashes on their bodies, it said.

Responses from all the these authorities are expected within four weeks, the statement said.