Rajagopal P Swamy(Special Correspondent)
A catastrophic fire accident at Chemplast Sanmar Limited in North Vanjore,Karaikal,has exposed severe regulatory lapses within the Puducherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC).
The incident has ignited public outrage,with locals accusing environmental authorities of enabling high-risk industrial units through persistent negligence.
The disaster occurred when a storage tank containing volatile Ethylene Dichloride exploded,triggering a massive inferno.
The explosion sent thick,toxic black smoke over 100 feet into the air,drifting across neighboring fishing villages.
Nearby residents suffered acute breathing difficulties and severe eye irritation,leaving over 15 people hospitalized at the Karaikal Government Hospital due to suffocation.
Firefighters battled the blaze for six hours,while authorities declared a holiday for local schools due to lingering toxic fumes.
While Chemplast downplayed the incident to stock exchanges as a”minor fire,”ground reality revealed severe community distress.
Angered villagers confronted visiting officials, protesting against recurrent unmonitored gas leaks.Local representatives including BJP MLA Meenakshi Sundaram squarely blamed the PPCC for failing to enforce basic safety audits,real-time stack monitoring, and structural tank inspections for “Red Category” hazardous facilities.
Behind this regulatory collapse lies an unfolding administrative controversy.
Sources reveal that the tenure of PPCC Member Secretary,Dr.N.Ramesh,is drawing to a close.Rather than facing accountability for mounting environmental failures across the Union Territory,the officer is reportedly lobbying for a “second innings” in his position.
Crucially,the Chief Minister’s office has recently shown an unusual,extra interest in shielding the department, attempting to quietly cover up institutional failures to smooth the path for Dr.Ramesh’s reappointment.
While Thirupattinam police have registered a case to investigate the explosion,Karaikal’s coastal communities are demanding a comprehensive probe into the corrupt administrative leniency and political shielding that routinely compromising public safety.
