AITUC demands inquiry into Vizag gas leak, compensation for victims

The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) on Thursday demanded an inquiry into the Vishakhapatnam gas leak and stringent action against the guilty.

The union also demanded compensation for victims of the accident.

Gas leaked from a chemical plant in Visakhapatnam in the early hours of Thursday and quickly spread to villages in a five-kilometre radius, killing at least 11 people and impacting about 1,000.

"AITUC demands inquiry to fix the guilty for negligence and stringent action in the LG Polymer Company gas leakage accident - and also demands compensation for the deceased and sick," AITUC said in a statement.

This accident has once again brought forth the issues of occupational safety and health (OSH) not only for those who are at the workplace but also for people living in the vicinity of such plants, it said.

The union said the accident is reminiscent of the Bhopal gas leak tragedy.

The lessons have not been learnt from the previous accidents to ensure continuous process of safety measures in industries, it added.

Trade unions have always been raising OSH as a serious issue and there should be no negligence on that account by the authorities who issue no-objection certificates for opening and operations of the plants.