8 November 2006
CUDDALORE — CUSECS, the common effluent collection and forwarding company, has closed its labour contract with plans of renewing it with a new contractor and new workers. Fifteen workers who manned the CUSECS pumphouses for the last 5 years are currently without a job. Yesterday, they gathered at the 6th pumphouse to protest against their dismissal, and have demanded that they be reinstated.
Meanwhile, CUSECS has shut down 5 of its pumphouses. Effluents from individual industries which used to flow to CUSECS 6 from one of the upstream pumps are now diverted directly to CUSECS 6, from where it is being pumped directly to sea. CUSECS, which is a partnership between SIPCOT and user industries, is an illegal entity that is operating without any permits or authorisation. The company pumps untreated effluents into sea through a 2.5 km pipeline that ends in a marine outfall off the coast of Rajapettai village.