The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of ammonia gas leak from Coromandel International Limited, a fertiliser manufacturing unit in Ennore.
Based on media reports of several people from Periakuppam, Ernavur, Burma Nagar experiencing breathlessness and eye and skin irritation after leakage of ammonia from gas pipelines of the unit, the NGT on December 27 issued directions to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to file a report on the incident.
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The case has been listed for hearing on January 2, 2024.
Over a dozen residents of Periakuppam have been hospitalised since the gas leak that happened in the late hours of December 26. Many families in and around the site evacuated from their houses due to the effects of the leak. TNPCB’s inspection at 3.30 a.m. showed the ammonia level in the air to be 3 ppm or 2090 microgram/m3 as against the allowed 24-hour average of 400 microgram/m3.
For four hours since 11.30 p.m. on December 26, 2023, locals in Ennore were exposed to extremely high levels of ammonia, possibly far higher than TNPCB estimates. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) categorises ammonia levels of more than 1,800 microgram/m3 (24-hour average) as ‘severe.’ This may have acute respiratory effects even on healthy people and serious health impacts on people with lung and heart diseases.
Coromandel International Limited suspends its Ennore port operations
Meanwhile, Coromandel International Limited has suspended its Ennore port operations as it noticed an abnormality at 11.30 p.m. on December 26 in the ammonia unloading subsea pipeline near shoreside.
In a letter to the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board, the unit said: “..due to the abnormalities noticed in the delivery pipeline of liquid ammonia on 26.12.2023, the next shipment (unloading) at our multi buoy mooring system terminal is cancelled.”
“It will be brought into operation after rectification of abnormalities to the satisfaction and certification of concerned authorities,” it said.
