VELLORE: The TNPCB has dispatched around 1,200 tonnes of dry sludge from the recent accident site in SIDCO to the Tamil Nadu Waste Management Limited in Gummidipoondi. “So far, 70 loads of dry sludge weighing around 1,200 tonnes have been removed from the (Secured Land Fill) SLF-I of the CETP and transported to the common facility in Gummdipoondi,” District Environmental Engineer, Vellore, A Shanmugam told Express.
It would take around 10 days to remove the remaining slurry. “So far, around 2,200 tonnes of slurry that spread over the premises of R K Tannery, I V Leathers and Kamatchi Fabrication and SIDCO Road after SLF-II caved in, have been removed. Another 1,000 tonnes of slurry is yet to be removed from the damaged SLF-II,” he said.
TNPCB officials have instructed the management of the company to store the slurry in earthen pits dug up in its premises.
“After it turns into dry sludge, it will be transported to the common facility in Gummidipoondi,” he added. In total 5,000 tonnes of sludge have been removed from one of the Secure Land Fills of the Common Effluent Treatment Plant of Ranipet SIDCO Finished Leather Treatment Company, in the aftermath of the tannery tragedy that killed 10 workers on January 31.