Leaders of several Opposition parties and people’s organisations met Neerabh Kumar Prasad, chairman of the High-Power Committee on the LG Polymers gas leak, here on Sunday, demanding shifting of the LG Polymers plant from its present location.

MLAs P.G.V.R. Naidu (Visakhapatnam West), Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar (South) and Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu (East), CPI State assistant secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy, CPI(M) city committee secretary B. Ganga Rao, Mahila Congress president Pedada Ramani Kumari, BJP leader B.V.S. Prabhakar and Bahujan Samaj Party president Daliraju were among those who met the chairman. They sought stringent punishment for those responsible for the gas leak.

Representatives of various organisations also demanded action against the management of LG Polymers for its negligence that resulted in the gas leak.

They submitted a representation to the chairman demanding immediate shifting of the plant, punishment of the guilty and payment of compensation to the victims.

In a letter to the committee chairman on Sunday, PAV general secretary T. Kameswara Rao said that the affected people were suffering from irritation in the eyes and skin, respiratory problems, nausea, unsteady gait, loss of consciousness and gastro-intestinal problems, as a result of prolonged inhalation of styrene monomer.

He said that it was understood that exposure to styrene monomer vapour has long-term health effects such as hearing loss, damage to the brain and liver, reproductive toxicity, fertility loss in women, adverse impact on the foetus in pregnant women, and cancer (as per the International Agency on Cancer Research).

CPI(M) Greater Visakha City Committee secretary B. Ganga Rao said that the committee, appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has already submitted its report based on which the NGT had ruled that the mishap had occurred due to the negligence of the management.

CPI(ML) New Democracy city secretary Y. Kondaiah demanded arrest of the management of LG Polymers and also officials concerned for violating the existing eco-protection laws and closure of the plant permanently.

K. Ramachandra Murthy, a senior citizen and former INTUC leader, opined that the committee should consider two options: either to shift the company to some other place in the district or to provide alternative houses in another area and shift the residents away from the vicinity of the company.