For decades, residents of Ennore and Manali in North Chennai have lived under the shadow of fertiliser plants, oil refineries, and coal-powered thermal plants along the coast. The presence of these “red-category” industries makes Tiruvallur district the State’s most polluted industrial cluster , which has left locals there to endure recurring gas leaks, oil spills, and layers of toxic dust settling over fishing hamlets and working-class neighbourhoods.

Recurring industrial hazards

The crisis deepened in December 2023, when two major industrial accidents — an oil spill and a gas leak — once again exposed the vulnerability of residents. In response, the Tamil Nadu government set up the Manali Ennore Rejuvenation and Restoration Council (MERRC), which was recently launched by the Minist

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