THOOTHUKUDI: Parliamentarian Kanimozhi Karunanidhi inspected the Uppar Odai watercourse which has turned stark pink after being polluted by seafood preprocessing units, on Saturday. TNIE had carried a detailed story the previous day, on the discharge of untreated effluent into the Uppar Odai from the preprocessing units and how the waterbody, which ultimately merges into the Gulf of Mannar, could not sustain any life form due to the contamination.
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Following the MP's visit, thorough inspections were held at all five seafood preprocessing units situated along the Uppar Odai banks. The TNPCB officials also collected water samples from the polluted waterbody for laboratory analysis. District collector Senthil Raj said it was revealed during the inspection that the five units were operating without a proper license and discharging untreated effluent into the environment. "The district environmental engineer has been instructed to submit an action taken report on the irregularities, if any, by Monday," the collector added.
Kanimozhi was accompanied by Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan, Ottapidaram MLA MC Shanmugaiah, Collector Dr K Senthil Raj and officials from the TNPCB when she arrived for inspecting the watercourse at Gomezpuram on Mapilaiyoorani-Tharuvaikulam road on Saturday based on the TNIE report.
Speaking to TNIE, the parliamentarian said the watercourse has been heavily polluted. The private seafood companies that have been allegedly discharging untreated effluent will be brought to book.
"I have urged the TNPCB officials to shut down the erring units until they comply with the norms stipulated by the pollution control board," she said.