cuddalore online information

Ban on sea fishing - The Hindu

CUDDALORE: The annual ban on fishing in the sea will be enforced from April 15 to May 29, according to Rajendra Ratnoo, District Collector. In a statement here, Mr. Ratnoo said that during the 45-day period the mechanised boats and trawlers were prohibited from indulging in fishing operation. Since, it happened to be breeding time for fishes, fishing holiday had become necessary. — Special Correspondent

Cuddalore fishermen seek Puducherry model - The Hindu

A.V.Ragunathan

Financial aid and free rice demanded for “fishing holiday”

FISHING HOLIDAY: A mechanised boat remaining idle as repair works are undertaken.

CUDDALORE: With the 45-day “fishing holiday” coming into force from Tuesday, the fishermen in Cuddalore district have appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to provide them some sort of compensation for the period.

They have urged the State government to emulate the Puducherry model in which the territorial government is said to be extending a financial assistance of Rs. 750 and 100 kg of free rice for every mechanised boat thus stranded.

As far as Cuddalore district is concerned, there are about 1,500 mechanised boats and launches/trawlers with the inboard engine capacity of 15 hp and above. All these boats have been grounded for the period. The average annual fish catch in the district is in the order of 27,000 tonnes. Ever since the government imposed the restrictions on fishing for the specified period from 2001, the fishermen have been clamouring for suitable compensation.

Assistant Director of Fisheries Department V. Tamilmani told The Hindu that the fishing holiday should not be viewed as a measure to inflict loss on the fishing community. As it happened to be the major breeding season for fishes in the mid-sea, where there was no turbidity, and at the end of the season the fishermen would reap rich harvest.

Because the landings would be quite substantial that would easily compensate the assumed losses. Moreover, the government was giving priority to the safety of fishermen and hence, the period could be profitably utilised for repairing the boats and mending the fishing nets.

On the compliance level of fishermen with regard to the restrictions, Mr. Tamilmani said that even well ahead of the “fishing holiday,” the Fisheries Department was creating awareness among the community through the media and sending letters to their associations.

The department was also deploying field staff periodically to the coastal villages to ensure that no violations took place. Mr. Tamilmani also said that the awareness level among the fishermen was quite good and above all the association’s hold was firm that no fisherman would dare any deviations.

However, the fish arrivals would be in dribs and drabs because catamarans and small mechanised boats would continue to make their forays. Because of the presumed low fish arrivals, the demand for chicken and meat was likely to go up.

As for the demand for compensation, Mr. Tamilmani said that it was for the government to decide.

Kanimozhi makes surprise visit to industrial units - The Hindu

Special Correspondent

She supervised the arrangements for DMK women’s wing conference

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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Commercial complex in bus stand premises along the Lawrence Road is being demolished. The demolition drive as taken as the building was in a very bad condition. Shops in the first floor of the building were demolished more than a month back. But the ground floor is yet to demolished as the shop keepers there resist the move.

Shopkeepers in Lawrence Road have a major part in preventing the development of the town. They resisted the railway over bridge in Lawrence Road. So the bridge was built on S.N. Chavadi. It is also widely said that they prevented the Kammianpet - Semandalam link bridge from coming up for many many years.

Even after court’s directive, officials could not demolish the ground floor of the complex as both politicians and businessmen joined hand to resist. It is being said that the next round of demolition drive will start Monday, 7th of April. Even though Municipal Chairman Mr. Thangarasu has assured of the demolition, we have wait and see whether it is public interest or political power that wins.

Related articles:

Municipal building in bustand premises in dangerous state - Cuddalore Online, Sep-2005

Commercial complex in bus stand premises in dilapidated state - Cuddalore Online, Jun-2006

Disaster awaiting to happen - Cuddalore Online, Aug-2007

Irregularities in parking in Lawrence Road has resulted in inconvenience. Three years ago parking was regularized after the sidewalks were laid. There were separate parking space for two wheelers and four wheelers. Now the markings on the road are completely gone. As the days pass by most don’t follow the rule. Two wheelers, auto rickshaws and cars are parked till the middle of the road. Especially the auto rickshaws don’t have the permission to stop. Traffic police is very well aware of what is happening, but no action is taken to stop this.

Shuttle badminton court in Anna Stadium is used by business men and other elderly people. They have always been using it, but now since they are more in numbers, players are unable to practice in the court.

This sign board is situated opposite to the New Cinema theater. Until a few years ago this yellow board was glittering, giving out information about distances of various towns from Cuddalore. But now it has got rusted and damaged and the information is not clearly visible. This board is now being used for pasting posters and to support digital banners.

Another sign board in a similar state is near the water filling office at the South end of Nethaji road.

Replacing these old boards with new green colored board of reflecting type will help in travellers getting quick information while passing through Cuddalore .

Repetition of this problem can be prevented if stern action is taken against the offenders who paste posters over it. Only if this offence is considered on par with destruction of any other public property and the offenders (either the people pasting it or the people for whom the poster is printed) are punished, these type of making the town uglier could be prevented.

Bhopal gas tragedy needs no introduction. Justice is denied to the victims even three years after the tragedy. Indian government shows keen interest in developing Dow’s business in India, instead to bring it to trial. Victims took a Padayatra from Bhopal to Delhi early in 2006. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to meet the padyatris after a long hunger strike. Then he promised safer drinking water and funds to address all health issues related to contamination. Promise was not kept. Now the victims took another Padayatra and reached Delhi on 28th March. Injustice to Bhopal people is the best example on how governments behaves - completely ignoring people to satisfy the interests of corporates. Cuddalore is another example. Instead to shutting the industries which pollutes the air and makes the land and water unusable, government is promoting more such industries. These notorious chemical factories in SIPCOT Cuddalore don’t follow safety norms, quiet often leading to accidents. An accident of Bhopal scale is yet to happen. If happens we will face the same injustice faced by Bhopal victims today.

contributed by Ravi Raja, a regular reader of the blog.

Every Monday and Friday while traveling to and from Chidambaram, just to the south of Cuddalore OT, one has to pass a 3 km stretch which stinks as bad, if not worse than the bad smell one has to experience while passing the Cooum River in Chennai. But this smell is different. A combination of chemical vapors and the smell emanating from the chemical disposals from a bunch of factories along the Cuddalore-Chidambaram highway is simply unbearable. It makes one feel giddy and pass out. The most disturbing factor was the situation never changed for years. I do hear from people that it has changed a bit and that it is better now. Whatever is is the air might have been cleared. But what lies beneath the surface is more alarming and worrisome.

A recent report from the Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute states that, “People living in and around a special economic zone in Cuddalore are “2,000 times more” likely to be affected by cancer than the normal population”. Now this is something that cannot be taken lightly. A few alarming statistics in the report are:

• Levels of Benzene - a chemical that causes blood cancer among children - were 125 times higher than safe levels.
• Carcinogens like chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, methylene chloride and trichloroethylene were 881, 553, 32.5 and 21.8 times respectively higher than acceptable levels.

These numbers are very disturbing not to mention the fact that the NEERI states that the results are a “conservative estimate” as “most of the industries are not operating to capacity on days of sampling”.

Just look at the level of benzene. Benzene is a harmful chemical to inhale. Prolonged exposure (more than 1 year) will result in a reduction in the number of Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells and the clotting cells (Source: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/benzene/health_ben.html)

Eating foods or drinking beverages containing high levels of benzene can cause the following symptoms within minutes to several hours: Vomiting, Irritation of the stomach, Dizziness, Sleepiness, Convulsions, Rapid or irregular heartbeat, Death (at very high levels) (Source: CDC).

Exposure to Chloroform may cause liver cancer. Carbon tetrachloride may cause liver and kidney malfunction and in some cases even death. Methylene chloride is known to cause lung, liver and pancreatic cancer. Trichloroethylene is carcinogenic as well.

What should be done?

• The extent of damage done should be studied.
• A water test on a number of samples from areas in and around the SIPCOT area should be done and people have to be educated on the results.
• Testing should also be done on water samples drawn from different places in Cuddalore.

The authorities obviously should initiate legal action on the companies. Human Lives are not a price to pay for development and particularly in this case, when these diseases can be avoided, they should be avoided. As Gandhi once said, “There is a sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed”.

Please do not pay Cuddalore and its’ citizens as a price for flawed development.

Chemical Park increases cancer risk in Cuddalore

March 23rd, 2008
Thaindian News

Chennai, March 23 (IANS) People living in and around a special economic zone in Cuddalore are “2,000 times more” likely to be affected by cancer than the normal population, says a report prepared for the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. In a normal sample population, cancer occurs in one person in a million. But in and around the State Industries Promotion Corp of Tamil Nadu known as SIPCOT industrial park nearly 300 km south of Chennai, two in every thousand are likely to have cancer, say anti-pollution campaigners.

The Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has prepared the report.

The study confirms the decades-old complaints by local residents that pollution from the chemical factories in the park is worst at night, especially in the village of Eachangadu.

The NEERI submitted the report in August 2007 to TNPCB without any public information. It came to light after an RTI plea by the local environment watchdog, Community Environment Monitoring (CEM).

The TNPCB commissioned the NEERI study in response to a 2004 report “Gas Trouble”, released by the SIPCOT Area Community Environmental Monitors, highlighting the presence of at least 22 toxic gases in the air over SIPCOT.

The study mandated special reference to volatile organic compounds so that the Tamil Nadu government could take remedial action.

Several studies of air pollution around the SIPCOT industrial park found 94 chemicals in the ambient air, including 15 known as hazardous air pollutants.

In September 2004, the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Wastes directed the TNPCB to bring down pollution levels or shut errant industries in SIPCOT by December that year. Nothing has happened so far.

The NEERI study found that areas near Shasun Chemicals, and the village of Eachangadu, were the worst affected.

Risk levels near Asian Paints and Tagros Chemicals are also high, the report said.

According to the report, children, elderly and the infirm were the most vulnerable. NEERI attributes this to “air transport of pollutants”.

Levels of Benzene - a chemical that causes blood cancer among children - were 125 times higher than safe levels.

Other carcinogens like chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, methylene chloride and trichloroethylene were 881, 553, 32.5 and 21.8 times respectively higher than acceptable levels, the NEERI report said.

NEERI says “the results are a conservative estimate” as “most of the industries are not operating to capacity on days of sampling”.

“If all the industries in the study area function to the full capacity, it may be expected that concentrations of pollutants will increase three-fold,” the institute told TNPCB.

In 2007, SACEM documented nine serious air pollution incidents that injured more than 150 people in the neighbourhood.

“The results confirm our worst fears - that SIPCOT is a gas chamber - and that the government has decided to sacrifice Cuddalore residents to cancer and other avoidable diseases,” Nityanand Jayaraman, advisor to the Community Environmental Monitoring, said.

“The TNPCB has neither the vision nor the political will to regulate pollution,” he added.

Activists point to how for almost a year now, the NEERI report has been lying with the TNPCB, but the government has taken no remedial action.

Instead, “the Tamil Nadu government is setting up more polluting units, many without proper clearances”.

2000 times higher cancer risk for SIPCOT Cuddalore Residents: NEERI

PRESS RELEASE

22 MARCH, 2008. CHENNAI — SIPCOT Cuddalore residents are at least 2000 times more likely to contract cancer in their lifetimes due to their exposure to high levels of toxic gases from chemical industries in the region, according to a scientific report prepared for the Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board by Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute. The study of air pollution in and around SIPCOT chemical industrial estate found 94 chemicals in the ambient air, including 15 that are known hazardous air pollutants. The study confirms decades-old complaints by local residents that pollution is worst at night, and that areas near Shasun Chemicals, and the village of Eachangadu are the worst affected. Risk levels near Asian Paints and Tagros Chemicals are also high, NEERI reports, adding that children, elderly and the infirm are most vulnerable. The report dated August 2007 was unearthed by Community Environmental Monitoring through the Right to Information Act. Samples were taken for periods varying from 10 minutes to 24 hours from within industries, residential areas in SIPCOT villages, and from Alapakkam, more than 5 km away. Even Alapakkam recorded high exposure levels. NEERI attributes this to air transport of pollutants.

Levels of Benzene – a chemical that causes blood cancer among children – were up to 125 times higher than safe levels, while other carcinogens like chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, methylene chloride and trichloroethylene were upto 881, 553, 32.5 and 21.8 times higher than acceptable levels.

The NEERI study was commissioned in response to the 2004 report “Gas Trouble” released by the SIPCOT Area Community Environmental Monitors (SACEM) highlighting the presence of at least 22 toxic gases in SIPCOT air. In September 2004, the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Wastes referred to Gas Trouble and directed the Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board to bring down pollution levels or shut errant industries by December 2004. Till date, no concrete action has been taken by the Board, and no industries have been punished. Just in 2007, SACEM documented 9 serious air pollution incidents that injured more than 150 people.

“The results confirm our worst fears – that SIPCOT is a gas chamber – and that the Government has decided to sacrifice Cuddalore residents to cancer and other avoidable diseases,” said Nityanand Jayaraman, advisor to Community Environmental Monitoring. “The TNPCB is a toothless tiger with neither the vision, nor the political will to regulate pollution.”

Rather than address the existing pollution, the Government is setting up more polluting units, many without proper clearances. Chemplast Sanmar, which does not have complete CRZ clearance, has already commenced construction of a PVC plastic manufacturing unit. A water-intensive textile park, several power plants and an oil refinery are also planned in this region.

“Every extra day of delay condemns additional people, particularly children, to a life of agony and ill-health. If the Government is serious about tackling this problem, it should first announce that only non-polluting industries will be promoted in Cuddalore,” said M. Nizamudeen of Cuddalore District Consumer Protection Organisation.

NEERI reports that the results are a conservative estimate as most of the industries were not operating to capacity on the days of sampling. “If all the industries in the study area function to the full capacity, it may be expected that concentrations of pollutants will increase three folds,” NEERI says.

For more information, contact:
Nityanand Jayaraman (Advisor, CEM): 9444082401
M. Nizamudeen (CDCPO): 9443231978
www.sipcotcuddalore.com

Organised by:
SIPCOT Area Community Environmental Monitors & Cuddalore District Consumer Protection Organisation
No. 72/7 Nethaji Road, Manjakuppam, Cuddalore 607 001

Community Environmental Monitoring (A project of The Other Media).
c/o 42A, 1^st Floor, 5^th Avenue, Besant Nagar, Chennai 600 090

List of Chemicals Detected with Highest Levels Recorded

Other Hazardous Air Pollutants found in SIPCOT air:

1,3-dimethyl benzene
Ethyl Benzene
Tribromometane
Naphthalene
p-xylene
Styrene
Tetrachloroethylene
Toluene
Carbon disulphide