Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Kochi endosulfan unit ordered to close by Roy Mathew

Kochi endosulfan unit ordered to close by Roy Mathew

Share this article Share this article
published Published on May 11, 2011   modified Modified on May 11, 2011
Public sector Hindustan Insecticides charged with polluting environment

Repeated demands to shift hazardous wastes to common treatment facility ignored

Pesticide residues leaching into neighbourhood

The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) on Tuesday ordered Hindustan Insecticides Limited, Kochi, manufacturing endosulfan, to close down its operations on charges of environmental pollution. The public sector company has been asked to close down “all operations and process in the industry with immediate effect.” However, it will have seven days to report compliance as some processes need time for total shutdown, says the PCB order.

Chairman K. Sajeevan said in an interview that the company, which manufactures other pesticides, besides endosulfan, had been continuously violating conditions of the ‘integrated consent to operate' granted by the PCB that specified proper handling of effluents and hazardous waste. Repeated demands made by the Board to shift hazardous wastes to the common treatment, storage and disposal facility at Ambalamedu were ignored. Nor did the company respond to a show-cause issued last month.

The Chairman said pesticide residues and their degradation products were leaching into the neighbourhood. The nearby stream, Kuzhikandam Thodu, was contaminated, leading to death of fish in the past. People were living within 200 metres of the factory; and four industries in the locality — HIL, FACT, IRE and Mercum — were supplying drinking water to 2,140 families.

The PCB order said HIL had violated provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, the Environment (Protection) Act and the Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules. As per the consent given for its operation, the company had to close the earthen lagoon containing hazardous waste on its premises after transferring the liquid part to the effluent treatment plant and shifting the entire quantity of hazardous wastes to the common disposal facility.

Backfilling of the lagoon after de-sludging was to be completed before June 2010. However, the company had not even kept its promise to complete the work by April 30, 2011. An inspection by the Board officers on April 18 and May 2 confirmed that no measures had been taken by the company to remove the sludge. There was also the chance of toxic sludge seeping into nearby waterbodies through storm water.

The Hindu, 11 May, 2011, http://www.hindu.com/2011/05/11/stories/2011051162310700.htm


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close