Rajya Sabha MP and DMK leader Kanimozhi on Monday urged Union Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar to ensure that the mercury contamination in Kodaikanal is remediated expeditiously as per the international standards.
In a letter to the Minister, Ms. Kanimozhi alleged that the contamination arose due to dumping of mercury by a thermometer factory run by Hindustan Unilever.
Quoting a recent study, she said mercury was leaking into the surroundings of the Pambar river and adjoining shola forests from the contaminated site. The river empties into the Vaigai dam, which may lead to mercury build up in the food chain, she said.
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Quoting Supreme Court judgements that have evolved the ‘polluter pay’ principle, Ms. Kanmozhi urged the Ministry to take the lead in evolving a Standard Operating Procedure for all future industrial dumping processes to ensure the Kodaikanal scenario is not repeated.