 "Vizag gas leak")
The Andhra Pradesh government has informed the NHRC that an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore each has been paid to the families of the 12 people who died in the styrene gas leak tragedy in Visakhapatnam last May, officials said on Friday.
The National Human Rights Commission had taken suo motu cognisance of media reports about the death of several persons and over 5,000 others falling sick due to leakage of styrene gas in the district on May 7, they said.
"The NHRC has accepted the action taken by the concerned authorities and the ex gratia of Rs 1 crore each paid to the families of the 12 people who died in the tragic incident," the rights panel said in a statement.
"The government of Andhra Pradesh has informed the Commission that 485 people were paid Rs 1 lakh each, who wEre hospitalised for two-three days. It has also informed that criminal proceedings were initiated against the 12 accused," the statement said.
The leakage of the gas had reportedly affected people within a radius of about 3 km. Many people were reported to be lying on roads while some had complained of difficulty in breathing and rashes on their bodies, it added.
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