CHENNAI: Despite outcry in Ennore to shut down Coromandel International Limited following ammonia gas leak from the firm’s subsea pipeline, the company on Saturday said a state government-appointed high-powered technical team has instructed it to resume operations following necessary inspections, and ensuring the safety of the ammonia pipeline and other systems.
The committee has also approved the emergency response actions carried out by the company, it added.
However, an official from the committee said they have not said anything about allowing the firm to resume operations. “We can only think about allowing the company to resume operations after they complete the safety checks and get clearance from all the required agencies, subject to the government’s permission,” the official said.
The government formed an expert committee comprising the member secretary of TNPCB, experts from the IIT, officials from the Central Pollution Control Board and others on December 27. The committee was instructed to submit a rapid assessment report within 24 hours and a detailed report in three days.
Meanwhile, the company’s statement emphasised that abnormalities in the ammonia unloading pipeline were below hazardous levels and were quickly brought to zero by the automated trip interlocks and control systems. According to a release from TNPCB, on December 27, ammonia levels were five times higher than the permissible limits.
“The ammonia level in the ambient air to be 3 ppm (2090 microgram/m3 as against 400 microgram/m3 on a 24 hour average) at 3:30 am near the unit’s material gate. The ammonia level in the seawater was found to be 49 mg/L as against the marine discharge standard of 5 mg/L,” it said. On the company’s statement, the committee official said anything beyond permissible level is considered hazardous.
While the committee’s report is yet to be made public, Coromandel International Limited said it conducted a safety audit of the ammonia pipeline and obtained certification from a certified inspection agency.
“Coromandel’s ammonia safety systems are robust enough to handle any type of exigences, with a high level of automation, and are duly certified by international agencies. The pipeline is a multi-layered system with a high level of safety redundancy, and has been operating for many years and is inspected regularly,” the company added.
While the company also claimed that all residents admitted to hospitals after the leak have been discharged, residents say few persons are still hospitalised. A top official from TNPCB said they are not responsible for the company’s statements. People protesting outside the company said they would not stop the protests until the fertiliser unit was shut.
They also filed a complaint against the company. The police have filed cases against 16 residents under undisclosed sections. “We asked for permission from the police to stage protests tomorrow and they denied it. However, since it is a life-or-death situation for us, people from 32 villages will protest on Saturday. Our peaceful agitation will continue until the company is shut,” said a member of Makkal Pathukappu Iyakkam, a group comprising representatives from 32 villages formed to take the protests further.
(With inputs from Lokeshwaran E)