The high court of Andhra Pradesh has ordered to seize the LG polymer plant in Visakhapatnam in the case of Vizag gas leak that took 12 lives and affected people living nearby, at a larger rate. the accident took place on May 7. It has been ordered by the court that the premises will completely be seized and no one except the director of the company will be allowed to enter the premises.
It was further added by a bench of chief justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari and justice Lalitha Kanneganti that no movement of any property fixture, machinery, assets within the premises is allowed with permission from the court.
If any committee is willing to inspect or look at the site, they are allowed to do so and they should make proper entries in the register maintained at the gate of the building and should inform about their study when leaving.
While hearing writ orders on Friday court took the decision and passed the written orders on Sunday and the court took serious measures over safer transport of styrene monomer from the plant to south Korea . “after registration of crime on the appointment of the investigation team and also when the magisterial inquiry was required, why, without the appointment of the said panel or permission of the court.
Styrene monomer has been permitted to be transported to South Korea and who is the person responsible for the same,” the court asked and directed the central and the state government, various government agencies and the company to submit a compliance report by May 26.
The court also asked the information for the net worth of the company on its next hearing on May 28. The case was taken up by the court on its own nad passed the orders. The central and state government had to submit action taken report by May 20. The issues on which the government remained silent, were raised by the court after the filing of 2 writ petitions subsequently.
An explanation was demanded by the court on certain issues from the respondents that the plant of LG Polymers has been operating without a valid clearance from the Union of forest, environment, and climate change ministry.
Another explanation was demanded not checking the content of the inhibitor in the tank and malfunctioning of the refrigeration system, the radius of the vulnerable area was extended up to 6.3 km, and the reason behind not working of sirens and alarms.
After the orders have been passed by the court, there are certain measures that will be taken to increase the safety of the gas plant, ensuring that all the systems are kept in regular check and work on time.
