CHENNAI, APRIL 6. Over four years after the Ennore port came into existence to take over the handling of coal and iron ore cargo from the Chennai port, there has been little respite for the residents of north Chennai from what they describe as the "cocktail of air pollution."
Though around nine million tonnes of thermal coal handled in 2001 by the Chennai port for the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board has been moved to Ennore, the iron ore handling continues.
But what is causing concern to the residents is that the Chennai port handles thermal and coking coal meant for other user industries in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The Chennai Port Trust today announced that it handled nearly 7.5 million tonnes of the two varieties of coal in 2004-05, as against 3.20 MT the previous fiscal, while the iron ore volume was 9.6 MT (9.48 MT).
Together the coal and iron ore accounts for around 39 per cent of the total 43.8 MT of cargo handled by the Chennai port last fiscal.
People affected
"It is a long-standing menace," says E. Ernest Paul, president, Royapuram Residents Welfare Association, about the air pollution. An estimated five lakh people in the localities across Harbour, Royapuram, R.K. Nagar and Tiruvottiyur Assembly constituencies bear the brunt of the pollution, which, doctors say, lead to respiratory problems.
The residents have not remained silent. Their complaint is one of inaction by the authorities despite protests and even after approaching the courts of law. The measures adopted by the Chennai port to contain the spread of the fine cargo particles, including sprinkling of water, are not enough, Mr. Paul says.
The coal mounds, much of it self-combustible, also run the risk of catching fire, as witnessed a few months ago. One possible reason behind the piling up of coal is the cost benefit of stocking it at the port than moving it to other places, say shipping intermediaries.
S. Jeyachandran, a general medical practitioner in north Chennai, says: "Repeated respiratory infections are common among people in Kasimedu, Tondiarpet, Old Washermanpet and other localities close to the port, mainly due to the iron ore handling."
Apart from the health hazards, the handling of the cargo also mars the aesthetics of households, commercial establishments and Government institutions such as the Fort Museum.
While Chennai port officials say they are taking every effort to contain the pollution, including replacing the iron ore wagon tippler system, the Ennore port has set in motion the process for setting up coal and iron ore terminals.
The chairman and managing director of Ennore Port Limited, M. Raman, told a meeting here recently that the bidding process for the coal terminal was over, but its fate was linked to a court case.
The bidding for the iron ore facility is in progress.
