CHENNAI: CPI state secretary R Mutharasan on Saturday expressed concern over the chemical leak in a factory at the SIPCOT industrial estate in Cuddalore, flagging the blast in the chemical unit on September 4. The incident left nearly 100 people hospitalised who are undergoing intensive treatment.
Recalling that a fire accident in the same unit in 2021 had claimed four lives, he said that allegations of negligence by the management in ensuring safety standards had resurfaced now. “Had periodic inspections and surprise checks by factory inspectors been carried out diligently, such mishaps could have been averted. The failure to enforce them properly is the main reason for the accident,” Mutharasan said in a statement.
He noted that no casualties had been reported so far and that Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister MRK Panneerselvam, along with senior district officials, had visited the injured and offered solace to their families. “While this provides some relief, firm action must be taken against the factory management for its lapses in ensuring safety measures,” he stressed.
He urged the government to extend all necessary assistance to the affected families and ensure accountability in the matter.