CHENNAI:The Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPB) to furnish all the inspection reports on the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) where an accident on Saturday claimed the lives of 10 workers.
The Tribunal comprising judicial member Justice P Jyothimani and expert-member R Nagendran issued the direction while admitting a petition moved by National Green Tribunal (SZ) Bar Association seeking CB-CID investigation into false inspection reports filed by the erring officials.
Advocate K Rajasekaran, president of the Bar Association, submitted that Ranipet SIDCO Finished Leather Effluent Treatment Company Ltd had constructed the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) to treat effluent discharged from 87 tanners. It has a capacity to treat 2500 cubic metres of effluent per day.
Due to a breach in one of the Secure Land Fill (SLF), which was built illegally without proper permission from the authorities, wet toxic sludge from the facility leaked, killing the workers, he added.
The petitioner pressed the Tribunal to appoint a committee to inspect all the tanneries and the CETP to ensure they have required consents to establish and operate in Vellore and to find out whether the structure of the CETP is adequately safe.
Holding that the element of criminal conspiracy of officials with the owners of the tanneries and abetment of officials in committing the crime cannot ruled out, the petitioner sought for an investigation by the CB-CID.
Directing notice to Chief Secretary, TNPCB chairman, Additional Director General of Police (CBCID) and Ranipet SIDCO Finished Leather Effluent Treatment Company Ltd, the Tribunal said that TNPCB shall conduct fresh inspection and submit report on February 5.
Operation Muck to End Today: TNPCB
Vellore: The TNPCB on Tuesday said that all the toxic sludge will be cleared from the Secured Landfill Facility (SLF) by Wednesday. After the tragic accident on last Saturday in SIDCO Industrial Estate near Ranipet the process of removing the sludge began under the supervision of a team of officials from TNPCB, CLRI and technicians from the CETP.