Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday, 23 June raised the ex-gratia compensation for families of workers killed in the ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing and export facility in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district — from ₹4 lakh to ₹10 lakh per deceased worker. The incident, which occurred on 21 June near Periyapalayam, has claimed the lives of at least nine workers, including seven from Odisha and two from Assam.

Compensation Enhanced, Bodies to Be Brought Home

Chief Minister Majhi had initially announced an ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for the next of kin of each deceased worker. According to the Chief Minister's Office, that figure has now been more than doubled to ₹10 lakh. Chief Secretary Anu Garg told reporters that efforts are underway to repatriate the bodies of the deceased to Odisha at the earliest, pending completion of all procedural formalities.

State Response on the Ground

Acting on CM Majhi's directions, a three-member team of senior Odisha government officers travelled to Tiruvallur and is currently coordinating with Tamil Nadu authorities to ensure medical care for the injured and oversee other necessary arrangements. The state government is also reportedly considering deploying an additional official to join this team. Chief Secretary Garg had earlier held discussions with her Tamil Nadu counterpart to ensure proper medical treatment and comprehensive support for the affected Odia workers.

Rising Death Toll and Scale of the Tragedy

Tamil Nadu government officials reportedly informed on Tuesday that the death toll among Odia workers has risen to seven, bringing the overall fatality count to nine. According to the Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department, a total of 80 people were affected by the gas leak. Of these, two workers have recovered and been discharged, while 69 others remain under treatment and medical observation at hospitals in Chennai and Tiruvallur.

Context: Migrant Workers Bearing the Brunt

The tragedy underscores the vulnerability of inter-state migrant workers employed in industrial and processing units across India. The victims — predominantly women — were working at a private seafood export facility, a sector that heavily relies on migrant labour from eastern Indian states such as Odisha and Assam. This incident adds to a pattern of industrial safety failures that have disproportionately affected migrant workers with limited access to legal recourse or immediate state support. The Odisha government's swift response, including on-ground coordination and enhanced compensation, reflects growing political accountability around migrant worker welfare.

What Happens Next

The repatriation of bodies and continued medical care for the 69 workers still hospitalised remain the immediate priorities. The Odisha government's decision to potentially expand its on-ground team signals that the administrative response is still evolving. Broader questions around industrial safety compliance at the facility in Tiruvallur are expected to come under scrutiny in the days ahead.