TN: 2 women killed in Ammonia gas leak at Tiruvallur Seafood processing unit; CM Vijay announces Rs 2 lakh relief for families
Tiruvallur, June 21
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Sunday expressed deep shock and grief over the ammonia gas leak accident that occurred at a private seafood export processing unit in Kannigaiper village near Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district.
According to an official statement, an unexpected ammonia gas leak occurred in the production section of the factory, affecting 64 workers, including 60 women and four men. Tragically, two women lost their lives in the incident.
The deceased have been identified as Jumani Juwang (19) and Malothi (20), daughter of Biro, both natives of Odisha. They were employed at the seafood processing facility.
Of the affected workers, 15 have been admitted to government hospitals and are under intensive medical observation, while 23 are undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of private hospitals. Another 24 workers have been admitted to private hospitals and remain under observation.
The Chief Minister stated that he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. He announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund to the families of the two victims.
He also directed officials to make arrangements at government expense for transporting the bodies to their native states and conducting the final rites.
CM Vijay further instructed authorities to ensure that all injured workers receive the best possible medical treatment.
In response to the incident, the Chief Minister ordered a detailed investigation. A team comprising officials from the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, the Directorate of Public Health, and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has been directed to submit a preliminary report within 24 hours and a comprehensive report within three days.
He also instructed officials to take necessary steps to provide compensation to the affected workers and the families of the deceased under the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Scheme and the Employees' Compensation Act.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, the Chief Minister has ordered immediate joint inspections of hazardous industries across the state.
The Information Technology Minister, the local MLA, the district monitoring officer, a senior IAS officer, and the District Collector have been directed to visit the accident site, oversee relief measures, and ensure all necessary assistance is provided to the affected families.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as rescue, relief, and investigation efforts remain underway.
— ANI
Reader Comments
CM Vijay's quick response is commendable – ordering inspections of hazardous industries immediately is the right move. But we need to ask: why weren't these safety checks done before? 60 women working in a place with ammonia gas and no proper precautions? Shameful. 🙏 for the victims.
This is a tragedy that highlights the poor safety standards in many Indian industrial units. Ammonia leaks are preventable with proper equipment and training. The fact that 64 workers were affected and two died shows systemic negligence. The compensation is a small step – the real need is accountability.
Feel so sad for these young women who came from Odisha to work in Tamil Nadu. They left their villages hoping for a better life, and this is what happens. Hope the state government ensures proper compensation under ESI Act and also provides jobs to the affected families. Aiyo, such a waste of young lives.
Working in a seafood processing unit must be tough enough without worrying about gas leaks. The fact that the factory had no adequate safety measures is criminal. I hope the families get proper legal help to pursue claims beyond just government compensation. Thoughts are with the injured workers battling in ICU.
CM should also look into why migrant workers from Odisha are working in such hazardous conditions without proper safety training. Language barrier might have played a role. The inspection team needs to be thorough and find out who is responsible. Justice for Jumani and Malothi !!
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