Vizag polymer unit did not have the environmental nod
NEW DELHI: The Union environment ministry received LG Polymers India Private Limited’s application for environmental clearance for its Visakhapatnam plant only last month and the factory was operating without it, two officials aware of the matter said on Friday, a day after a toxic gas leak from the unit left 11 people dead.
“This polymer plant is an old project when the EIA [environmental impact assessment] notification was not applicable. They did get relevant permissions from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board. They didn’t come to us but applied to the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority [SEIAA] for an environmental clearance in 2018. There was confusion whether they will be assessed by the state or by the ministry. So only last month, their application for the EC [environmental clearance] was forwarded by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority to us and it will be considered in due course,” said Geeta Menon, joint secretary, environment ministry.
The company had expanded the unit, which required it to seek the clearance. “The company applied to SEIAA, Andhra Pradesh, but the project was not appraised. The file has come to us. We will have to look into what violations have taken place and how long they have been operating without a valid EC,” she added. LG did not respond to queries from HT on Thursday, and again on Friday.
“It appears that they may not have taken the EC. But these issues are still being investigated,” said CK Mishra, secretary, environment ministry. A notarised affidavit by LG Polymers India Private Limited on the ministry’s website admits the plant was functioning in violation of the EIA notification as it did not have an environment clearance for manufacturing polystyrene.
According to the document dated May 8, 2019, the plant obtained “consent for establishment” in 2001 and “consent for operation” in 2002 from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board. Subsequently, “minor expansions” of the facility were undertaken with APPCB’S permission, the affidavit says.
The unit was established in Vishakapatnam in 1965 by M/S Hindustan Polymers Limited, which was amalgamated with Mc Dowell and Company in 1982.
Kanchi Kohli, a legal researcher at the Centre for Policy Research, said the project was in operation even as its application was pending under a “violations” category.
“This brings to light a systemic problem...thousands of projects have now come before the environment ministry disclosing that they were operating without approval. What was earlier justified as a one-time amnesty, is now proposed as a routine exercise as part of the proposed EIA 2020 amendments.”
5-MEMBER PANEL TO PROBE STYRENE LEAK
HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday constituted a five-member committee to probe into the Thursday’s gas leakage from LG Polymers’ plant in Visakhapatnam that claimed 12 lives, officials aware of the matter said.
The committee will be headed by special chief secretary (environment, forests, science and technology) Neerab Kumar Prasad, they added. Special chief secretary (industries and commerce) Karikal Valaven, Visakhapatnam collector V Vinay Chand, commissioner of police R K Meena and Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board member secretary Vivek Yadav will be among its other members.
The officials said the committee will inquire into causes of the leakage and verify whether the company had adhered to all safety protocols. It will study if there are long-term effects of the gas leakage on the surrounding villages. The committee will submit its report within a month.