Inside Tiruvallur’s ammonia gas leak nightmare
The article details a tragic ammonia gas leak at St. Peter & Paul Sea Food Export Private Limited in Tiruvallur district, which resulted in 16 fatalities, primarily among migrant tribal women workers. The incident exposed severe lapses in industrial safety, worker exploitation, and inadequate emergency response. Many victims were from vulnerable tribal communities in Odisha, Assam, and Jharkhand, some being minors working with forged IDs. The article highlights the challenges faced during rescue, the medical complications of ammonia inhalation, and the subsequent actions by authorities, including arrests under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A government committee recommended permanent closure of the factory and inspection of other units using hazardous chemicals, while the NHRC took suo motu cognisance.
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