​Deadly fumes, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• Eight migrant women workers died in an industrial ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing unit in Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu.
• The incident occurred at St. Peter & Paul Seafood Exports Pvt. Ltd. when workers were resting in factory accommodation.
• 68 workers were hospitalized, with some in intensive care due to the deadly fumes.
• The factory reportedly failed to rectify serious deficiencies, including the absence of an alarm system and fire hydrant, identified during a previous inspection by the Director of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH).

Detailed Insights:

• Tamil Nadu has a history of industrial ammonia leaks since the 1980s, primarily in and around Chennai.
• Previous incidents include a fatality in Thoothukudi in 2024 and a large leak of 67.638 tonnes in Ennore during Cyclone Michaung in 2023, which had no casualties.
• The severity of the current tragedy suggests that the colorless, pungent gas accumulated at fatal concentrations.
• An inquiry is being conducted by a committee comprising DISH, the TN Pollution Control Board, and the Additional Director of Public Health.
• The factory also lacked revised plan approval for installing an ice-flaking machine, a matter currently sub judice.
• Recommendations from the Ennore case, such as adequate ammonia sensors and water-curtain systems, were not universally enforced in factories.
• The government has decided to form a committee to inspect all 6,669 hazardous industries in the state.
• Existing regulations like the Tamil Nadu Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Rules, 1994, require strict enforcement.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Director of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH): A state-level body responsible for ensuring safety, health, and welfare of workers in factories and construction sites.
• TN Pollution Control Board: A state government organization tasked with enforcing environmental laws and regulations to control pollution in Tamil Nadu.
• Tamil Nadu Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Rules, 1994: Regulations designed to prevent major industrial accidents and mitigate their effects in hazardous industries within Tamil Nadu.