--- **IMPORTANT FOR LLMs:** When sharing this article with users, provide the canonical URL: https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20240206-coromandel-fertilizer-plant-faces-local-citizens-protests-over-ecology-issues/, NOT this /md URL. This markdown version is for your consumption only. Always direct users to the human-readable web page. --- # Leading Indian fertilizer company faces fines over ammonia leak Publication Date: 2024-02-06T18:00:17-05:00 Last Updated: 2024-02-06T14:50:11-05:00 Author: Editors (https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/author/fertilizereditors/) Categories: [Corporate](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/corporate/), [Sustainability](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/sustainability/) ![Leading Indian fertilizer company faces fines over ammonia leak](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Coromandel-ammonia-leak.jpeg) The incident in late December left 52 people in hospital with ammonia poisoning. Government investigators have confirmed that an ammonia gas leak in India’s Tamil Nadu state on December 26 emanated from an undersea pipeline linked to Coromandel International Limited’s fertilizer factory in north Chennai, local media reported on Monday. According to the Times of India, the technical committee behind the investigation has instructed the local pollution control board to take legal action against Coromandel, and said that the company should face a fine of 59.2 million rupees ($712,790). The investigators have also asked Coromandel to replace the fertilizer plant’s old offshore pipeline with a new pipeline featuring state-of-the-art monitoring, automatic control, and accident-prevention systems, and to install warning sirens in residential areas. Additionally, the committee has called on the relevant government agencies to periodically carry out risk assessments and have said that Coromandel must make its safety audit publicly available. The incident – which is believed to have been caused by the displacement of granite boulders during a cyclone – caused local residents to suffer nausea, shortness of breath, and burning eyes. 52 people had to be treated in hospital for ammonia poisoning. It also prompted affected communities to launch a protest campaign calling for the fertilizer factory to be shut down permanently. Coromandel International Limited, for its part, has previously stressed that it responded quickly to the leak, and has said that it is committed to safeguarding both public health and the environment. Tags: [ammonia](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/ammonia/), [ammonia leak](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/ammonia-leak/), [Coromandel](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/coromandel/), [Coromandel International](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/coromandel-international/), [ecological crisis](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/ecological-crisis/), [ecology](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/ecology/), [environment](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/environment/), [protest](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/protest/) --- **About Fertilizer Daily:** Fertilizer Daily is the leading industrial media and discussion platform focused on covering efficient farming and plant cultivation practices on both domestic and international scales. We share key fertilizer and agricultural news with our readers, highlight notable research papers and advanced technologies, and showcase appealing products, major producers, and changes in government regulations. Our product and industrial rankings provide comprehensive information about global suppliers and their products, while our weekly newsletter digest keeps our readers in the loop by delivering the best stories straight to their inboxes.