Vizag gas leak very similar to Bhopal tragedy. India must probe before blaming workers

'It is time to retire the trite stories about clear skies and clean rivers because of the economic lockdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. As environment ministers and state governments make it easier for businesses to restart, the toxic gas leak at LG Polymers’ polystyrene plant in Vizag — killing 11 people and exposing 1,100 to the styrene gas — has reminded the world of the folly of viewing environmental due diligence as an impediment to economic activity. The Vizag gas leak, its causes and the reactions of the management and state are disturbingly similar to the Bhopal gas tragedy. This shows that no good lessons have been learnt from the 1984 Union Carbide disaster. Worse, corporations and the administration continue to deploy untruths, and non-scientific and empty reassurances to underplay the incident and its systemic causes...'

[Full article on ThePrint.]