PUDUCHERRY: In the wake of ‘doubts’ expressed over the quality of treated effluents discharged from a unit of Shashun Pharmaceuticals at Kalapet, following a leakage from pipes carrying the treated effluents to the sea reported on Thursday, the Pondicherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC) has directed it to install a digital display system to monitor the quantity of effluents discharged from the unit.
PPCC scientific officer Ramesh said that the ‘Red’ category unit was also asked to install an online monitoring system to facilitate round the clock monitoring.
Around 6.30 am on Thursday, leakage was noticed from the high density polyethylene (HDP) pipe carrying the treated effluents.
The management immediately stopped pumping the effluents. However, some local residents came to know about the leakage and reportedly dug up the pipe with a JCB. In the process, the pipe broke into two.
By then, the effluent discharge process (EDP) had already been stopped by the unit. But, six out of the 20-odd persons who assembled at the spot were later admitted in the hospital after they complained of having inhaled ‘toxic gas’. But, doctors attending on them said that that all their vital parameters were normal. Based on a complaint from Kumaresan of Pillaichavady, police filed a case of negligence and causing simple injury against Shashun Pharmaceuticals.
The PPCC has collected samples from the treated effluent tank, which would be sent to Chennai for testing.