DINDIGUL : Various environmental issues such as indiscriminate sand mining in rivers, massive pollution of drinking water sources and encroachment of irrigation sources have been posing a big challenge to the overall development of the State and grave threat to the lives of people and their livelihood. The State Government should give top priority to these sensitive issues and deal with them on a war footing.

This appeal was made at a two-day state-level consultation on environmental issues, especially in the plains of Tamil Nadu, held at Kodaikanal in the district on Monday.

The State Convener of the Tamil Nadu Environment Council, L. Antonysamy, in his inaugural address said environmental issues such as ill-maintenance of irrigation tanks, pollution of land, water and air by untreated industrial effluents, unsafe disposal of plastics and lack of proper management for disposal of waste especially hazardous medical waste had been directly affecting the lives of the people.

Their impact was very adverse and dangerous also.

"Unless we take timely action, the loss in future will be irrevocable," he said.

Sudhakar of Toxic Link, Chennai, expressed concern over unmindful dumping of waste materials of computer and electronic equipment without understanding their hazardous nature. Another potential threat to the environment was unsafe disposal of hazardous medical waste.

He appealed to the Government to take necessary action to prevent such activities and create an awareness among people in this regard.

In his special address, Martin, an advocate from Tiruchi, said affected people should make use of provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) like sections 268, 269, 270 and 271 to get speedy remedies.

They could also use provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) 1973 by approaching the district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate and executive magistrate before approaching the Court as they have full powers to take action against culprits offending the safe environment.

Many speakers spoke on how to address environmental issues by using legislations and mobilising affected communities. More than hundred participants from various organisations, social activists, representatives of NGOs and other took part.