Urging the government to fulfil their demands related to pollution and other issues at the Sipcot Industrial Growth Centre in Perundurai, members of the Perundurai Sipcot-Affected People’s Welfare Association have decided to hold a conference in November in the district.
The association’s coordination committee meeting was held recently at Perundurai and was chaired by its member T.N. Chenniyappan, coordinator S. Chinnasamy and others.
Members said that farm lands were acquired in 1995-1996 for establishing the centre and over 100 families who had given their 200-acre land were not adequately compensated so far. The centre is spread across 2,700 acre and the roads used by the public were modified and new roads were laid. It affected many land users as they could not get approval for their plots.
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The members alleged that the total dissolved solids (TDS) in the groundwater around the Sipcot premises was 10,000 and wanted adequate supply of protected drinking water to the people. Their other demands were conducting medical camps once in six months in villages located around Sipcot, providing free treatment and fulfilling of basic amenities using CSR funds from the industries located on the premises. They also sought priority in jobs for local workers, action against industries that discharge effluents into water bodies, ensuring zero discharge by industries and continuous monitoring.
Members also wanted the sludge stored on the premises to be disposed off safely and removal of the effluents in the effluent treatment plants in tanneries. They also wanted experts from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) from Hyderabad to study the environmental impact caused by the industries on the premises and take necessary steps to rectify them.