New Delhi, May 8: After deadly styrene gas leak in Visakhapatnam, Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda urged all public and private chemical makers to exercise caution and care while reopening their plants.
Union Environment Ministry and State Pollution Control Boards have also issued separate directives to all companies to take extreme precaution while restarting their units that remained suspended due to the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country, he said.
There was a gas leak from LG Polymers plant at Visakhapatnam in the early hours on Thursday, causing 10 deaths and hundreds of people getting hospitalised.
"LG Polymers does not come under direct control of our ministry. However, we have asked all public and private chemicals manufacturers to exercise caution and care while reopening their plants," Gowda told PTI.
The minister said his officers are coordinating with the Andhra Pradesh government.
He further said LG Polymers, a multinational chemical company, had kept its unit ready for reopening after one and half month of lockdown. The unit started leaking at around 3.40 am on Thursday due to pressure.
"The toxic gas leak has affected both people and animals. Around 850 people have been hospitalised," Gowda said, adding that measures have been taken to control the situation at the plant site and final updates are awaited.
At present, Indian chemicals market size is about USD 163 billion, which is only three per cent of the global chemical industry of USD 5 trillion, as per the official data.
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Moon sighting for the start of the month of Ramazan, for end of fastings- Eidul Fitr, for the month of Hajj and Muharram:
The moon sighting is so easy. We the people of India and have Indian Standard Time all.over India.
When we can accept the moon sighting in Delhi and announcement from Delhi as it was during times of Radio and Doordarshan news, why can we not accept the sighting of moon in coastal region of Karnataka and in Kerala?
Let us bring about change for good.
Why is rest of Karnataka or India not joining for Eid with coastal region and kerala? At the time of Radio and Dorrdarshan only days, all of India used to wait for 8.00 pm news for updates of moon sighting. So why not accept the moon signing witnesses in Kerala or coastal region?
I request all Indians to accept the witnessing of Moon sighting in any area of India and start and end Fasting.
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