LG Polymers seizure: SC refuses to stay HC orders!

May 26, 2020

In a setback to South Korean company LG Polymers India Ltd, the Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay the orders given by Andhra Pradesh high court for seizure of its Visakhapatnam plant responsible for leakage of Styrene gas on May 7 that led to death of 12 persons and hospitalisation of nearly 500 people.

The Supreme Court delivered its judgement on a petition challenging the high court order and appealing that its order for seizure of the plant be quashed.

The apex court ruled that the company should put forth all its arguments only before the high court and the National Green Tribunal.

Arguing on behalf of the company, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said the high court had given unilateral orders to seize the company.

He sought the Supreme Court to give permission for the company authorities to go into the LG Polymers plant at Visakhapatnam in view of the emergency conditions prevailing in the plant.

Since as many as eight committees, including those formed by the state and the central government, had been formed to investigate into the leakage, the company was not able to understand which committee its representatives should depose.

The Supreme Court, however, dismissed Rohatgi’s argument and said all the issues would be dealt by the NGT or the state high court.

“They would take up comprehensive investigation and so, there is no need for any further probe in the Supreme Court. We are not going to interfere in the orders issued by the state high court,” the SC judge said.