Following the death of two workers after an ammonia gas leak at a seafood processing factory at Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Sunday has ordered the formation of a three-member inquiry committee to probe the incident.
The Director of Industrial Safety and Health, Member-Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), and Additional Director of Public Health will be part of the committee, and they will submit their interim report in 24 hours, with a final report set to follow in three days.
In a statement, the Chief Minister said a total of 60 women and four men who were on duty at the factory were affected due to the gas leak. He said two women lost their lives, while the rest are being treated in the intensive care units of government and private hospitals.
He said he was shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic news and expressed condolences to the family members of the two deceased persons. He also ordered ₹2 lakh to be paid as solatium to the kin of the each victim from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund. He also said the State government would take measures to transport the bodies to their home State.
Further, he also instructed officials to ensure special medical treatment to affected persons and directed officials to provide compensation to those deceased and affected under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme.
Mr. Vijay also instructed officials to conduct joint inspections of hazardous industries to prevent such accidents and directed the Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology, and Digital Services R. Kumar and Monitoring Officer for Tiruvallur K.P. Karthikeyan to give the best possible care to the affected in coordination with Tiruvallur Collector and the district administration.
Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology, and Digital Services R. Kumar on Sunday at a private hospital in Periyapalayam where some of the victims have been admitted. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Minister for Public Works Aadhav Arjuna, Minister for Health and Family Welfare K.G. Arunraj, and Minister for School Education Rajmohan visited the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) on Sunday evening.
Dr. Arunraj said a total of 10 affected persons had been admitted to the RGGGH, while seven had been admitted to the Stanley Medical College Hospital. A total of 42 persons were being treated at two private hospitals in Tiruvallur district.
Two special teams of senior doctors from the RGGGH have been rushed to Periyapalayam, while another team of doctors from the Tiruvallur Government Hospital has also been deployed at the site, Mr. Rajmohan said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
In a post on X, he said: “Deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives due to a mishap in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, said: “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones in this unfortunate tragedy. I pray for strength and courage for them during this difficult time. I also pray for the speedy recovery of all those who are undergoing treatment and wish them a speedy recovery to good health.”
Published - June 21, 2026 05:09 pm IST
Tamil Nadu / death / Chennai / poisonous gases / disaster (general)
Source: The Hindu - India News
