The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday directed the Madras Fertilizers Limited to suspend commercial production till it gets a clearance from TNPCB.
The TNPCB in its counter-affidavit had stated that the PSU had not taken adequate measures to prevent discharge of effluents into the Cooum, despite the show cause notice issued to it in April.
During an inspection on October 12, it found that most of the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) components in the MFL for treating the cooling tower blow down effluent were not under operation. “The unit is now only calibrating the components in the ETP one by one. Again another inspection was carried out on November 14 and it was found that the effluents were discharged into the Ammulavoyoll channel,” said TNPCB Joint Chief Environmental Engineer in the counter affidavit. .
ADVERTISEMENT
Counsel for Madras Fertilizers Limited B. Manoharan submitted that the PSU had already stopped commercial production due to water-logging and would get the clearance from the TNPCB before commencing activity. The TNPCB had carried out a survey from September 16 to October 12 along the river stretches between Perumalagaram and Padi Pudhu Nagar and found that the Ennore Thermal Plant and the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited complied with the recommendations of the TNPCB in discharge of effluents. During the hearing of the case by the Bench, comprising Justice M. Chockalingam and expert member P.S. Rao, Special Government Pleader Abdul Saleem said the report showing the progress made by in-line departments would be furnished in the next hearing, since officials of several departments were involved in the flood relief work.
Applicant P. Edwin Wilson had sought a direction to officials for prevention of further pollution and encroachments along the three rivers and an end to sand mining in Kosasthalaiyar and Cooum tank in Tiruvallur district.