COIMBATORE: The district administration has received many complaints against several industries located in Chettipalayam near Podanur and Mettupalayam for polluting the environment.
Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) officials were asked to inspect the industries and take stringent action against them if they were found to be polluting the environment.
More than 150 residents of Sikkarampalayam village staged a road block in front of United Bleachers Limited on June 1, claiming that the unit has been polluting the water in the area. They said a foul stench emanated from the factory on June 1, leading to respiratory problems. They requested the district administration to close down the unit.
Subsequently, a team of TNPCB officials visited the unit and measured the air pollution levels in the area. They spoke with M Balasubramanian, executive director of the unit and Raju, general manager, and found that a fire broke out in the unit on May 31 in the chemical storage warehouse where 14 tonnes of sodium hydro sulphite had been stored.
On contact with water, the chemical was converted into toxic sulpher dioxide gas which led to the fire accident.
Unit officials failed to notify the TNPCB district engineer about the fire. During inspection, pollution control board officials found that sodium hydro sulphite, a hazardous chemical, was stored with other chemicals in the shed without following proper safety measures.
The effluent treatment plant lay unused for a long time. All the effluents were stored in the tank without being treated.
The unit was permitted to use 7629kg of sodium hydro sulphate per annum. But the unit authorities had stored 14 tonnes of this chemical on its premises.
The TNPCB team has directed the relevant officials to disconnect power and water supply to the unit.
The district administration also received complaints from the public on April 17 against Synthite Industries limited (Fragrance division) situated in Marudur village near
Mettupalayam. Residents claimed that the unit was discharging effluents which contaminated the ground water. Following the complaint, TNPCB officials inspected the unit and issued a show cause notice for said violations. In 2008, residents had lodged complaints against the company for polluting the water.
Complaints were also filed against Virukshalaya Green fuels in Chettipalayam village near Madukkarai.
