A recent gas leak in Ennore on has resulted in the death of over 187kg of fish belonging to 19 different species near nine fishing villages, as reported by the state fisheries department.
The incident occurred at 11:45 pm on December 26th, when a staggering 68 tonnes of ammonia leaked from a 2.5km-long subsea pipeline transporting liquid ammonia from Ennore minor port to Coromandel International Limited, a fertiliser factory in Periyakuppam. Shockingly, the amount of ammonia gas released far exceeded the safe limit prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), according to a report by the TNPCB.
A field study conducted by the Dr MGR Fisheries College and Research Institute in Ponneri confirmed the grim reality of the situation. On December 27, the aftermath became tragically apparent as 1,860 dead fish washed ashore near nine fishing villages, including Nettukuppam, Kathivakkam Periyakuppam, Ernavoor Kuppam, and Bharathiyar Nagar beach. Among the casualties were eels, barracuda, sea bass, red snappers, pomfrets, carrangids, and flat fish, with an estimated market value of ₹46,750.
The catastrophe has dealt a severe blow to the livelihoods of local fishermen, with S. Vishanth from Ennore Makkal Padhukappu Kuzhu, a collective of fishermen, expressing the profound impact: “Our major livelihood is fishing. A hazard to the environment is a hazard to our livelihood.”