Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore   

Kanimozhi makes surprise visit to industrial units

— Photo: C. Venkatachalapathy

Kanimozhi,M.P. inspecting the venue for DMK women wing’s conference scheduled for next month, in Cuddalore on Monday.

CUDDALORE: Kanimozhi, MP, made a surprise visit to the SIPCOT Industrial Estate on Monday, following complaints of pollution hazards posed by certain chemical units there.

Health Minister M.R.K.Panneerselvam, District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo, Superintendent of Police Pradip Kumar, District Environmental Engineer Ramasubbu, and D.Ravikumar,G.Aiyappan and Saba.Rajendran, MLAs, accompanied her.

She arrived here in the morning to discuss the arrangements to be made for the women’s wing conference of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam scheduled at the Manjakuppam grounds next month. Mr. Ravikumar met her and informed her of the gravity of the pollution problem posed by the SIPCOT units.

He cited the findings of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) that conducted a study from June 26 to 30, 2006 at the instance of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).

Mr. Ravikumar told the MP that though the NEERI submitted its report to the TNPCB in August 2007 it was kept under wraps till the local community environment monitoring group obtained the copy through invoking the Right to Information Act.

The study revealed that of the 94 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in the air-samples collected from the SIPCOT area 15 fell in the category of hazardous air pollutants.

Some VOCs were toxic, having both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic hazards.

After the inspection, Ms Kanimozhi told the reporters that there seemed to be slackness in implementing the pollution control norms and in certain cases the standards were yet to be fixed.

She promised to take up the issue in Parliament.

The Collector directed the TNPCB to take appropriate measures in this regard.

As for the women’s conference, Ms. Kanimozhi said it would be another mega event of the DMK and would also create an upsurge among women.

For the welfare of women, the State budget had made many provisions, she added.

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