Ambalamugal residents have expressed fears of pollution due to the proposed ‘delayed coker unit’ (DCU), which will produce pet cokes for generating power, mooted by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in Kochi Refinery. The project is all set to take off with the expansion of Kochi Refinery and it will generate power for the state.
According to residents here, the unit will cause air and water pollution in the area.“Pet cokes are usually stored in granules. If it is not used for a week, it gets stale and reduces to powder. Hence, chances are high of the powdery pet coke getting dispersed in the air. The pollution caused thus will definitely create an unlivable condition for the residents here,” they said.
They also cited the pollution created by the DCU in BPCL’s refinery at Bina in Madhya Pradesh.
“Life of the people near the unit had become difficult owing to the pollution by the refinery.
“Later, the residents had chosen the protest path. If the unit setting up here lacks a proper storage system, the residents in here will also have to suffer similar problems.
However, the company is yet to decide about the storage system for the proposed unit. Most importantly, the emission from the unit will pollute the Chitrapuzha river in the area,” they said.
“Proper storage system for the unit must be ensured by the company. Otherwise, the company must withdraw the `600-crore project. If the project creates pollution, we will start protesting against it and then the company will have to step back. This will lead to huge financial loss to the company,” they said.