CHENNAI: Nearly six months before the fatal ammonia leak at St Peter & Paul Sea Foods Exports in Tiruvallur district, the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) had identified multiple safety violations at the unit, including violations related to the testing and maintenance of the ammonia system.
After the inspection on December 30, 2025, the inspectors had flagged violations such as deficiencies in valve testing and maintenance of the very ammonia-handling pipeline involved in the Sunday leak. The death toll climbed to nine on Tuesday, while the three-member probe committee submitted its interim report to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
“The pipeline must be maintained properly and tested once a month,” a senior official said, adding that such testing must be carried out and certified by a competent person in accordance with departmental requirements. The unit failed to carry out the testing and it was one of the violations cited during inspection.
According to MV Karthikeyan, joint director, DISH, Thiruvottiyur, the department had identified “almost 18-20 violations”, the absence of safety sensors, alarm system, hydrant system and an occupational medical centre, besides the installation of new machinery without approval.
According to officials from DISH, the company was issued notices and a response was sought. Even a reinspection was conducted. The department eventually moved ahead with prosecution after finding unresolved violations. “Prosecution proceedings were initiated and a charge sheet was filed on March 27 in Thiruvallur court. The case has yet to be listed,” they said.
Officials said inspectors first issue a show-cause notice, then give the respondent time to revert and finally assess compliance before moving to prosecution.
When asked why immediate closure action was not taken, the officials maintained, “We have to give them an opportunity under the principles of natural justice.”
However, under Section 87A of the Factories Act, 1948, DISH officials have the power to prohibit employment where conditions in a factory are deemed to pose a serious hazard.
Officials said the findings are being examined and that the cause of the leak, along with any lapses in industrial safety and emergency response, remains under investigation. “This is not a technical failure or a legal failure. It is a regulatory failure,” said environmental activist Nityanand Jayaraman, arguing that regulators already possess powers to intervene when hazards are identified.