CHENNAI: Ammonia gas leak from Coromandel International Limited Ennore, a fertilizer manufacturing facility, which caused breathing difficulties and eye irritation to several people, has been arrested.
An official release from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said an inspection team recorded ammonia levels in the ambient air at 3 ppm (2090 μg/m3 against 400 μg/m3 on 24-hour average) at 3:30 am. Did. Material gate of the unit.
Gas leakage spread panic among the local people late on Tuesday night. Police sources said the factory in Periyakuppam was functioning round the clock and the workers realized the gas leak around midnight.
Avadi Joint Commissioner of Police P Vijayakumar said the matter has been brought under control.
A police team at the factory premises is assisting in the operation to control the matter, the police officer said.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp messages were widely circulated asking residents to close doors and windows and leave their residences while wearing face masks and carrying handkerchiefs soaked in water.
The seawater sample at the point of the pipeline leak, taken at 3:49 am, showed ammonia levels of 49 mg/litre against the sea discharge standard of 5 mg/litre. The team recorded 0ppm ammonia level in the ambient air at Thalankuppam, Periyakuppam, Chinnakuppam, Ernavur Kuppam, Kathivakkam Railway Bridge and Ennore Bus Depot around 4 am.
The leak is said to have occurred during the pre-cooling process in the pipeline that is done to pump ammonia in liquid form.
“A message was received at 12:45 pm from the unit regarding ammonia leakage during pre-cooling operation of the pipeline. Immediately, Joint Chief Environmental Engineer (M) Chennai arrived along with District Environmental Engineer (Ambattur) and AEE (Manali). ) Reached the site at 2:15 am and inspected the unit and pipeline locations,” the press release said.
Author and researcher Nityanand Jayaraman said that the ammonia levels reported in the press release were taken three hours after the incident and do not provide information about the incident.
“The winds were blowing from north-east to south-west, carrying pollutants from the coast towards Burma Nagar and Ernavur. Depending on the wind speed the level should have been measured 2 to 3 km south west,” he said.
He said it was safe to conclude that people faced ‘unacceptable levels of exposure’, given that they continued to experience a strong smell at 1 a.m. in Ernavur and Barma Nagar.
“The human nose can detect ammonia at 5 parts per million or more. More than 52 ppm, the human nose cannot sense it. If people were able to sense it with symptoms such as burning eyes and throat, the level would be anywhere between 5 to 50 ppm. US occupational health standards set a safe level of 35 ppm that should not be exceeded during any 15 minutes in the workplace. There is no reason to be complacent,” he said.
