TN ammonia gas leak: Odisha CM enhances compensation to Rs 10 lakh
Bhubaneswar, June 23
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday enhanced the ex-gratia assistance for the families of women workers who lost their lives in the ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing and export facility in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district on June 21, raising it from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
Expressing deep grief over the death of Odia workers, CM Majhi had earlier announced ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) to the next of kin of every deceased worker. According to the Chief Minister's Office, the compensation amount has now been enhanced to Rs 10 lakh by CM Majhi.
Speaking to media persons, Chief Secretary Anu Garg informed that efforts are underway to bring back the bodies of deceased workers to Odisha at the earliest after the completion of all the formalities.
She further said that the state government is considering deputing another official to join the three-member team sent to Chennai earlier.
Notably, acting on the directions of CM Majhi, three senior officers of the Odisha government visited Tiruvallur and are currently coordinating with the Tamil Nadu authorities to ensure medical care for the injured workers and oversee other necessary arrangements.
On Saturday, Odisha Chief Secretary Garg had also held discussions with her counterpart in Tamil Nadu to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured Odia workers and the provision of all necessary support and assistance.
Meanwhile, in another tragic development, Tamil Nadu government officials reportedly informed on Tuesday that the death toll of Odia workers in the gas leak incident has risen to seven.
The overall death toll in the ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing and export unit near Periyapalayam in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district on June 21 has risen to nine, including seven workers from Odisha and two from Assam.
According to the Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department, a total of 80 people were affected by the gas leak. While two workers have recovered and been discharged, 69 others remain under treatment and medical observation at hospitals in Chennai and Tiruvallur.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone from Odisha myself, this news brings tears to my eyes. 😢 Our workers go to Tamil Nadu for better opportunities, and they come back in coffins. The compensation enhancement is appreciated, but I hope the Tamil Nadu government also takes strict action against the company. This ammonia gas leak could have been prevented with proper maintenance.
It's tragic that 7 workers from Odisha and 2 from Assam lost their lives in this incident. While the enhanced compensation is welcome, I'm more concerned about the 69 workers still in hospitals. Quick recovery to all of them. The inter-state coordination shown here is commendable, but we need national-level safety standards for such facilities.
My heart goes out to the families. 🙏 But let's be honest, Rs 10 lakh is still not enough compensation for losing a breadwinner. In a country where inflation is high and education costs are rising, this amount will barely sustain a family for a year. We need a proper insurance and compensation framework for industrial workers across states.
Good to see the Odisha government acting swiftly, but the Tamil Nadu authorities need to ensure proper hospital care for the 69 injured workers. Also interesting that only 2 have been discharged so far - the severity of ammonia exposure is serious. Hope the state governments coordinate well for the treatment and repatriation of bodies.
Tragic reminder that industrial safety standards in India still have a long way to go. 80 people affected in a single gas leak at a food processing facility - that's alarming. While compensation is important, the real solution
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