District Collector Shreya P. Singh on Tuesday inspected a closed starch factory at Mangalapuram after local residents feared possible leakage of toxic gas from the factory.
The Collector said the factory was shutdown after disconnecting power supply in June this year following issues related to pollution. As the materials of the factory were still inside, the public submitted a petition to the Collector, based on which she inspected the factory and also informed the government.
“There is nothing to worry about, and an expert committee from Chennai will inspect the factory and give suggestions on how to dispose of the materials safely,” Ms. Singh added.
In the afternoon, the expert team visited the factory and submitted their suggestions to the Collector. The Collector told The Hindu there was nothing harmful in the factory. “We instructed the factory administration to remove the materials. Permission is given only for the disposal of the materials and not for operating the factory,” Ms. Singh added.
