Ennore gas leak: Factory won’t be opened until it gets approval, officials inform protesting locals

CHENNAI: Coromandel International Limited fertiliser factory, which caused ammonia leak in Chennai’s Ennore last week, will not be opened until it gets approval from the Register of Shipping and the maritime board, officials told local people who have been protesting, demanding closure of the unit.

Chennai district collector Rashmi Siddharth Zagade, Avadi joint police commissioner P Vijayakumar, officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), North Chennai member of parliament Kalanidhi Veerasamy and Thiruvottiyur MLA KP Shankar met 34 fishing village leaders in Ennore on Wednesday.

They inquired about how the locals had been affected by the gas leak. The assured the locals that the public woes about the pollution would be taken into consideration. They requested people to get back to their jobs and continue with their livelihoods instead of protesting.

The TNPCB is yet to submit the reports on the gas leak investigation to the collector. Zagade said it would take a couple of days more to get the documents.