The chemical plant that leaked toxic styrene gas and killed 12 in my home city was operating illegally. State and central authorities whose job it was to know never asked. With @HannahEP and @safimichael in @guardian. #VizagGasTragedy
theguardian.com/world/2020/may…
theguardian.com/world/2020/may…
We read this tbh 2019 affidavit from LG Polymers in some shock on the morning of the leak, in which the co. admits to running without an environment clearance, receiving approvals from the state govt to expand over 6 times without environmental assessment. environmentclearance.nic.in/writereaddata/… 
According to the state pollution control board's document checklist to grant consent, an EIA and an environment clearance are at the top of the list. The plant had neither. pcb.ap.gov.in/content-manage…
The company knew at least by December 2017 that it had neither an EIA or an environment clearance. What about the authorities they applied to? environmentclearance.nic.in/writereaddata/…
State authorities: kept granting approvals from 2001 on. Met in 2018, 2019 to deliberate the company's application for a post-facto clearance (no such thing: Indian Supreme Court last month). Even then, they never shut the plant down.
Modi govt. weakened clearance norms: loopholes LG cites but it doesn't quite apply if you've been running *without* a clearance for nearly two decades. Govt. plans to further weaken #DraftEIA, labour laws and is reopening industry => disasters like this.
Our story shows LG, the state, @moefcc knew, did nothing. 12 died. @lifeindia2016: "Culpability is with the pollution control board, state, central environment authorities. They knew, they should have taken action proactively.” Criminal liability, anyone? theguardian.com/world/2020/may…
