Ennore Residents Demand Closure of Fertilizer Unit

Residents of 33 villages in and around Ennore staged a road blockade demanding the permanent closure of a private fertilizer unit at Periyakuppam. They expressed dissatisfaction with recent directives calling for a compensation imposition and safety audit following an ammonia gas leak in December 2023 before restarting the plant.

The protest led to the shutdown of shops, and autorickshaws and buses were prevented from operating on the road. Community leader K. Bharathi criticized the recommendations of the technical panel, deeming them unacceptable and insisting on the relocation or closure of the unit.

The affected villages, including Periyakuppam, Chinnakuppam, Nettukuppam, and Thalangkuppam, have been dealing with the aftermath of the ammonia leak, with fishermen from these areas staging continuous protests against the company. Despite the protest’s duration, the NGT hearing regarding the gas leak incident was postponed to a later date, prolonging the residents’ demands for closure.