CHENNAI: The Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board missed the deadline set by the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal to complete the oil spill clean-up by Sunday, as tonnes of thick waste oil continues to flow in the water bodies in Ennore and eventually drain into the sea. The NGT is scheduled to hear the case again on Monday.
Worse, TNIE caught workers in the act of attempting to dump bags of toxic oil waste in the sensitive mangrove vegetation. Already, a large patch of mangroves in Kosasthalaiyar River in Sadayankuppam and in Buckingham Canal flowing adjacent to it are loaded with oil. When TNIE visited the spot on Sunday afternoon, seven boats were carrying 30 personnel removing the oil-soaked water hyacinth plants from the Buckingham Canal. While a few men were wearing personal protective gear, others were working barefoot and without gloves, despite the health hazards.
The workers painstakingly removed close to 30 bags of debris-covered in oil, which is a toxic and hazardous waste and must be transported to a Common Hazardous Waste Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility as per the protocol.
However, a person, who seemed to be leading the clean-up drive, directed the workers to dump the bags on the canal bank close to the mangrove vegetation. As soon as he saw this reporter video recording the act, he had the workers load the bags back into the boat. TNIE has footage of workers dumping the bags and then reloading them into the boat.
Workers covered with toxic oil stains; clean-up yet to begin near mangroves
The booms deployed upstream seemed inefficient considering the quantum of oil flowing downstream and into the sea. At noon, the sun was harsh and the majority of workers were seen in discomfort, their bodies covered with toxic oil stains from head to toe. In addition, there was heavy discharge of untreated sewage into the Buckingham Canal at Sadayankuppam even as the clean-up drive is underway.
TNIE shared footage of workers dumping hazardous waste on the canal bank with Environment Secretary Supriya Sahu, who swiftly ensured all the bags were accounted for. Meanwhile, the clean-up hasn’t even started near the mangroves in Kosasthaliyar river.
Residents at Satyamurthynagar and Shakthi Ganapathi Nagar, who live close to Buckingham Canal, have endured nightmares as floodwater carrying oil entered their homes during Michaung. K Shobha, a 55-year-old resident of Shakthi Ganapathi Nagar, said all five of her family members had been hospitalised for a week due to acute diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. “My two-year-old grandson suffered a lot. The oil destroyed everything we had. Despite such a grave situation, there was no relief provided to us. No official visited us.”
Meanwhile, the coastline in Pulicat continues to report the beaching of tar-like oil balls. TNIE visited Korai Kuppam where there is a clear presence of oil on the beach. N Narayanan, president of Tiruvallur Fishermen Cooperative Society, said traces of oil slick were noticed near Pulicat fish market on Saturday, but the tide has washed off contaminants. “Representatives from 33 villages will be meeting the Tiruvallur collector to give a representation on Monday. There are nearly 3,000 fishing boats here and none have gone to the sea as the fish smells of oil,” Narayanan said. The usually bustling fish market in Pulicat wore a deserted look on Sunday.
The fishermen said the water current is flowing from north to south. “If more oil enters the sea through Ennore bar mouth, the oil slick can reach the beaches of Chennai,” R Vinod, a Pulicat fisherman said.
A group of women, with whom TNIE interacted, said there was oil all over the beach on Saturday and even on Sunday although the intensity had come down. They showed their hands and clothes soaked in oil. These women collect dead shells for a living.
For its part, CPCL, in a release, claimed that due to unprecedented flooding, the water level in the Buckingham Canal increased causing reverse flow. This appears to have carried some oil from CPCL refinery as well as from other industrial units in Manali into the canal when flood levels receded. It also said an oil slick has since been formed near Ennore Creek but CPCL has the expertise and capability to deal with this and has taken the lead to remove this oil slick in coordination with state authorities.
“There has been no pipeline leak or leakage from tanks in the refinery,” it said. CPCL has mobilised four agencies from Chennai, Mumbai and Paradip to clear the oil spill. Containment booms have been arranged on an emergency basis. Seven containment booms of around 1,430m have been installed in different areas of the Creek and Canal. Six oil skimmers have been deployed for the cleanup. Oily waters collected in drums have been shifted to CPCL, it added.