A styrene gas leak from the plant had killed 12 people and affected another 1,000 on May 7, besides causing environmental damage
Family members mourn the death of their relatives a day after a gas leak incident at LG Polymers plant, at King George Hospital mortuary, in Visakhapatnam on May 8, 2020. File pic/AFP
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) said that LG Polymers has absolute liability for the loss of life in the recent gas leak incident at its Visakhapatnam plant, and directed the '50 crore penalty imposed on it to be used as compensation to the victims and for environment restoration.
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A styrene gas leak from the plant had killed 12 people and affected another 1,000 on May 7, besides causing environmental damage. The NGT took suo motu cognisance of the case a day later and imposed a fine of '50 crore on the South Korean company.
In an order on Wednesday, an NGT bench headed by its Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel noted, "We find the company has strict and absolute liability for the environmental damage and consequential loss to life and public health in this case."
The bench said that the amount will stand appropriated towards part liability and interim compensation to be spent for restoration of the environment and compensation for the victims. The NGT said that safety of citizens and environment is of "prime concern".
The final calculation of compensation will be assessed by a committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Environment, the Central Pollution Control Board and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, the tribunal said.
07 May
Day a gas leak from the LG Polymers plant killed 12 people
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