The Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) had reportedly identified multiple safety violations at St Peter & Paul Sea Foods Exports in Tiruvallur district nearly six months before the fatal ammonia leak that has so far claimed nine lives, raising questions over regulatory oversight and industrial safety enforcement, as reported in DT Next.
According to officials, DISH inspectors conducted an inspection of the factory on 30 December 2025 – during the DMK regime, during which they detected between 18 and 20 safety violations, including deficiencies directly related to the testing and maintenance of the ammonia-handling system that was involved in the leak.
The death toll from the ammonia leak rose to nine on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, even as a three-member inquiry committee submitted its interim report to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
Officials said the inspection had revealed that the ammonia pipeline was not being maintained and tested in accordance with mandatory safety requirements. A senior official stated that the pipeline was required to be properly maintained and tested once every month, with the inspection certified by a competent person as per departmental regulations. According to the official, the company had failed to carry out the mandatory testing, and the lapse was one of the violations recorded during the inspection.
M.V. Karthikeyan, Joint Director of DISH, Tiruvottiyur, reportedly said the department had identified “almost 18-20 violations” during the inspection. These allegedly included the absence of safety sensors, an alarm system, a hydrant system and an occupational medical centre. Officials also found that new machinery had allegedly been installed without obtaining the required approvals.
According to DISH officials, the department followed the prescribed enforcement procedure after detecting the violations. Notices were issued to the company seeking an explanation, following which a re-inspection was conducted to assess compliance.
Officials said that after finding the violations had not been rectified, the department initiated prosecution proceedings. A charge sheet was filed before a Tiruvallur court on 27 March 2026, they said, adding that the case has not yet been listed for hearing.
Explaining the department’s enforcement process, officials said inspectors first issue a show-cause notice, provide the respondent an opportunity to respond, assess compliance after the response, and only then proceed with prosecution if violations remain unresolved.
When questioned about why the factory was not ordered to shut down immediately despite the identified safety deficiencies, officials said they were required to provide the company an opportunity to respond under the principles of natural justice.
However, Section 87A of the Factories Act, 1948 empowers authorities to prohibit employment in a factory if working conditions are considered to pose a serious hazard to workers.
Officials said the circumstances surrounding the ammonia leak remain under investigation, including its exact cause, possible industrial safety lapses and the adequacy of the factory’s emergency response mechanisms.
Environmental activist Nityanand Jayaraman, however, argued that the incident reflected a regulatory failure rather than merely a technical or legal one. He reportedly said regulators already possessed statutory powers to intervene when hazardous conditions were identified and questioned why those powers were not exercised before the tragedy occurred.
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