Bhubaneswar: The death toll of Odia migrant workers in the ammonia gas leak at a seafood processing factory in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district rose to 11 on Thursday after three more women labourers from Keonjhar district succumbed during treatment.The deceased are Rita Juanga, Sumitra and Pinki Juanga, all in their mid-20s and belonging to the Juang community, a particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs). They had been on ventilator support since the industrial accident that exposed dozens of workers to toxic ammonia fumes.Officials said eight of the injured workers were discharged from hospital on Thursday, while 25 others continue to undergo treatment at 4 hospitals in Chennai. Odisha govt officials said they are closely monitoring the condition of patients, especially those admitted to intensive care units and are on ventilator support.State Labour Commissioner Indramani Tripathy said arrangements have been made to bring back 58 Odia labourers employed at the seafood processing unit who were not affected by the gas leak. The workers are scheduled to start their return journey to Odisha on Friday. The labour department is coordinating with the commerce and transport department for their journey by train. Three Odisha govt officials stationed in Chennai will oversee the process, he said.The Tamil Nadu health department said bodies of seven victims have already been sent to Odisha, while arrangements are underway to transport the remaining bodies to their native villages.Odisha govt has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased workers. However, for many families in the remote tribal villages of Keonjhar, the compensation has done little to ease concerns about their future. Most of the victims were the sole earning members of their households and migrated to Tamil Nadu due to lack of livelihood opportunities in their native villages.Among them was Subasi Juanga, who died on Wednesday while undergoing treatment. “Subasi was my eldest daughter. She had taken her younger sister along with her to work in Tiruvallur. Three months ago, she sent us Rs 9,000. That was our only source of income,” Rebati said. She added that she is now anxiously waiting for officials to bring her younger daughter back safely from Tamil Nadu.A similar story has emerged from Kodipasa village, where the death of Phulamani Juanga has left a family of three without support. Her mother, Suna Juanga, said Phulamani had taken up the factory job after her father’s death.“My son is too young to work. Raising two children alone was difficult. Phulamani agreed to go after a job was arranged through a labour contractor. A few days ago, she asked whether I needed money and promised to send some. I don’t know how we will manage now,” Suna said.
