Industry Odisha Bureau, Jun 29: In the wake of the nightmarish ammonia gas leak incident that reportedly occurred at a seafood processing unit in Tiruvallur district in Tami Nadu (TN) on June 21 (Sunday morning hours) killing over 16 persons, maximum women, and over 43 persons undergoing medical treatment, the deadly industrial disaster points finger at the laxity in industrial safety measures, the security of the workers, especially the migrant workers employed there, and also the emergency preparedness there in case of exigencies.
Media reports quoting accounts of eyewitnesses and testimonies of survivors stated that, “the seafood processing unit processes seafood products like prawns, fish, etc. meant for exports. Hence, the factory has machinery and refrigeration equipment used in the processing purposes, while ammonia is a key component.”
Media reports quoting accounts of eyewitnesses and testimonies of survivors stated that, “an ammonia pipeline suddenly ruptured. Within moments, the toxic gas spread rapidly through the first floor where 60 women workers had fallen asleep after their shift duty following which the women workers woke up gasping for breath with their eyes and throats burning.”
On the other hand, “the male workers working on the ground floor smelled the pungent gas and immediately rushed out of the premises to save lives. Even though several workers dared to re-enter for rescue operations, but were bound down to retreat as they felt extremely suffocated inside. However, a few other workers covered their faces with wet cloths and tried to pour water on the leaking pipeline so that the intensity of leaked ammonia gas could be diluted and the stranded women workers trapped inside could be rescued. But their conditions had turned worse by then, as many of them had got trapped for over half-an-hour.”
Accounts of eyewitness and testimonies of the survivors as reported by media alleged that, “both the fire service units and ambulances reached there late resulting in severe consequences, while over 20 ambulances including 10 advanced life-support vehicles from the district level as well as from Chennai were rushed there, and even the State Health Department mobilized adequate doctors and health officials for the private hospitals also.”
Media reports also stated that, many workers were from Odisha, Assam, and Jharkhand and could not communicate effectively owing to the language barrier. Identifying unconscious patients was particularly difficult. It was resolved after the job coordinators arrived to assist the hospital officials and police.”
Reportedly, the maximum number of fatalities have been migrant women workers, that too tribals, from remote villages in Odisha, two from Assam and one from Jharkhand, while some of the tribal migrant workers were allegedly found to be minor girls following which the Tamil Nadu police have added the provisions of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the arrested factory owner, manager and the job coordinators.
Media reports said, “Tamil Nadu Government has reportedly constituted a three-member expert committee that has already recommended permanent closure of the company, while the same committee has also recommended thorough inspections and audit of 1,774 factories using hazardous chemicals and gases across the state.”
