L G Polymers, Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Case

On May 7, 2020, the L G Polymers plant located in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, caused
a severe disaster in the nearby residential area. The issue started when the styrene or vinyl
benzene gas stored in the tanks leaked and caused respiratory problems for the residents. During
the COVID-19 pandemic, the plant’s operation was halted, and at the same time, the styrene
gas got polymerized, resulting in the rising temperature and pressure in the tanks. Moreover,
the safety alarms could not detect this buildup of pressure inside the tank, which led to an
unexpected outburst of the flammable gas.
This caused a total of 13 deaths and affected thousands of people. The incident was followed
by a series of legal actions and safety inspections, which revealed numerous environmental and
safety violations in the business operations of L.G. Polymers. According to the National Green
Tribunal (NGT), a statutory body that overlooks environmental issues in India, the plant was
operating without the valid environmental clearance required by the law from the central
government. The Bhopal Gas Disaster prompted the passage of various laws, including the
Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, to fill legal loopholes in industrial oversight. Under the
EPA, the federal government published notifications of Environment Impact Assessments
(EIA) in 1994 and 2006. These notifications mandated that new companies and the expansion
of already-existing ones obtain prior environmental approval. The expansion project at L G
Polymers was still under environmental appraisal or a post-facto approval when the accident
happened; application was pending under a “violations” category, which means its social and
environmental impacts were never assessed.
Environment concerns Social concerns
The death of 34 animals was reported by the Failure in using appropriate equipments and
animal husbandry department. safety measures.
No or less training of the staff to avert the
All nearby trees and plantations went dry.
situation
Water consumption is affected due to Endangering the life and personal safety of
contamination. the residents and causing deaths
Crops in the 5 km radius are damaged and Negligence in safety audits and law
contaminated. compliance
Due to these violations and negligence, LG Polymers was subject to fines, penalties, demands
for compensation, and a total shutdown of its business operations. This incident also
emphasized how crucial accountability and corporate social responsibility are to guaranteeing
human rights and safeguarding the environment.
Reference: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/pollution/vizag-gas-leak-govt-report-
details-short-and-long-term-impact-on-nearby-areas-72343
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lg-polymers-incident-lessons-learned-from-chemical-
disaster-kumar
 Vedanta, Tuticorin Plant, Tamil Nadu Case
Sterlite Copper, which is a subsidiary of the parent company Vedanta Ltd., at Tuticorin faced
serious allegations by the locals and environmental rights groups in 2018. On the 100th day of
the protests, violence broke out when protesters disrupted traffic situations; as a result, at least
10 people were killed by the police firings. In the Indian court, the plant was guilty of not
having created a green belt around its campus as per norms by planting the required number
of trees. Furthermore, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) in 2018 ordered the
closure of the controversial Sterlite Copper plant, halting their business operations.
An NGO came across the Tirunelveli Medical College study from 2008, which included
80,725 people who lived within a 5-kilometer radius of the smelter. Among the conclusions
were:
• Iron contamination in the nearby areas affected the quality of groundwater
consumption.
• Locals were prone to respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis due to
industrial air pollution.
• Women in the area suffered from menstrual disorders, and people were widely
suffering from myalgia, or general body pain.
Some of the environmental violations were:
• The Water Act of 1974 requires that any hazardous enterprise be situated at least 25
kilometers away from any environmentally sensitive area; still, Sterlite's plant is only
14 kilometers from the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.
• The factory does not have the 25-meter greenbelt surrounding it that the Tamil Nadu
Pollution Control Board required for its license. However, it could not be
independently verified; the company stated in its 2013 application for environmental
clearance that it had planted a greenbelt around its proposed plant.
• An alleged gas leak in March 2013, following which several residents reported
experiencing suffocation, eye discomfort, and even miscarriage. The Tamil Nadu
Pollution Control Board responded by ordering the factory to close for 2.5 months and
initiating an inquiry.
Recently, in April 2023, the Hon'ble Supreme Court permitted Vedanta Ltd. to carry out the
activities at the plant. Stating Sterlite Copper as a major employer in Tuticorin, it provides
direct and indirect employment to thousands of people. The authorities believe there have
been job losses and a decline in economic activity in the area because of the facility
shutdown.
References:
https://scroll.in/article/874441/every-house-has-a-sick-person-why-people-in-tuticorin-are-
opposing-vedantas-copper-smelter
https://www.vedantalimited.com/img/media_mentions/press_release/2022/Supreme%20Court
%20permits%20Sterlite%20Copper%20to%20open%20in%20national%20interest.pdf