Don’t Use Fruits & Vegetables Of That Region: NEERI Team!

An expert team from CSIR NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) has on Monday visited LG Polymers site in RR Vishakapatnam to assess the impact of leaked styrene gas which killed around 11 people. Besides suggesting that people who are affected with gas leak should undergo medical tests for next one year, the expert team has collected the samples of vegetables, fruits and leaves to test if they are toxic.

The people in nearby five villages, upto a radius of 5 Kms, were asked not to consume fruits and vegetables that are cultivated in that region. The expert team, which has identified the remains of styrene in residential area and highways, prepared an extensive report and it will being sent to government of India. In one of the residences, they have identified the high styrene density of 1.7 PPM (parts per million). According to govt regulations, it should be less than 5 PPB (parts per billion).

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found that levels of styrene was 2,500 times higher than the normal limits prescribed by regulators on the day of gas leak.

The expert suggested GVMC to truncate the plants and trees that are affected with styrene organic compound. The usage of water from nearby rivers is totally barred. The expert team further said that public places and auto vehicles will have to be cleaned using Sodium Hydrocloride.