ARUPPUKOTTAI
Scores of houses in A. Mukkulam near Tiruchuli and in nearby villages hoisted black flags on Sunday night as a mark of protest against a private biomedical incinerator in A. Mukkulam which, they said, was causing serious health hazards to the local population and cattle, sometimes leading to death.
The villagers have been protesting against the private unit for over a year. Black flags were hoisted in A. Mukkulam and Thimmapuram in Tiruchuli taluk, and Mudukkankulam, Marakulam, Nedunkulam, Kalyanipuram and Sivalingapuram in Kariyapatti taluk.
The villagers have been complaining that several people in these villages have been diagnosed with kidney failure after the unit run by Ramky Energy and Environment Limited “started polluting air and groundwater”.
Not satisfied with the outcome of several rounds of talks held with revenue and police officials, the villagers laid siege to the unit in May, after which the unit remains locked.
“The officials closed down the unit not for polluting air and water in the region, but citing possible law and order problem if the unit was run. We want the officials to initiate steps to permanently close it down,” said P. Muthumanickam (37) of A. Mukkulam.
Tahsildars Chinnadurai (Tiruchuli) and N. Mariselvi (Kariyapatti) visited A. Mukkulam and asked the villagers to remove the black flags. But the villagers refused to do so.
“They said we could not tie the flags on the electric posts as it was illegal. But, we asked them on what legal basis the polluting incinerating unit was allowed. Even recently, the unit had sunk a bore well without obtaining any permission,” said Mr. Muthumanickam.
A. Thangapandian (39), another villager, said the officials claimed that the no-objection certificate that had been issued by the district administration in the past could be cancelled only by the Revenue Divisional Officer.
When the people of the entire region had been protesting against the incineration unit, the officials silently allowed the unit to dump e-waste and waste from dyeing units from various districts here. “We are not going to give up our protests as long as the unit is here,” Mr. Thangapandian said.
The Kariyapatti Tahsildar said since the issue was pending before the court, the officials could not give the villagers any assurance on closing down the unit. “We have given our report to the district administration,” she said.
