Tamil Nadu government has shut a fertiliser manufacturing facility in Ennore near Chennai after ammonia gas leaked from its sub-sea pipeline leading to six people being hospitalised on Tuesday night. They were discharged from the hospital on Wednesday morning and their condition is reported to be stable.
Residents living near the shore complained of uneasiness and difficulty breathing after a strong smell permeated the air near a sub-sea pipe of Coromandel International Limited.
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said the leak was detected soon after and contained. Tamil Nadu Environment Minister SV Meyyanathan said Coromandel International will be shut down until further orders.
"No need to panic. The leak has been stabilised. No more gas (ammonia) leaks at Ennore. People are reassured and are back home. medical and police teams present." Avadi Police Commissioner Vijayakumar said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
According to officials, information was received about the gas leak at 12.45 am and environment officials were dispatched to inspect the location where bubbles were seen coming out of the sub-sea pipeline.
"The officials also immediately visited the pipeline location across the road and observed gas bubbles coming out of the pipeline at about 2' from the shore. The unit immediately started depressurising the pipeline by diverting the ammonia vapour to the flare and completed the operation within 20 minutes," the Tamil Nadu Environment and Forest Department said.
In a statement, Coromandel International Limited said an "abnormality" was observed at 11.30pm in the ammonia unloading sub-sea pipeline near shoreside. "Our Standard Operating Procedure activated immediately, and we have isolated ammonia system facility and brought the situation to normalcy in the shortest time,"
Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board officials told NDTV that a committee of pollution and environmental experts has been set up to investigate the matter.
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