THE HINDU
By Our Special Correspondent
JUNE 14, 2004
CHENNAI
The Federation of Consumer Organisations, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, has requested the authorities concerned to probe accidents which occurred in and around the SIPCOT industrial estate at Cuddalore in the last five years.
In letters addressed to the Cuddalore Collector; the Member-Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Chennai; and the Director of Environment department, Tamil Nadu, among other senior officials, the federation general secretary, M. Nizamudeen, said in the last two months alone three accidents and deaths occurred in and around the estate. “These accidents occurred due to carelessness of the companies and their apathy towards workers safety,” he alleged.
The federation said a worker died after he inhaled acid, a 13-year-old boy died after he consumed some date-expired medicine taken out from a dump. In another accident, a woman was run over by a tanker going to the estate.
It requested the Collector to take up an independent investigation into all the accidents in the past five years and initiate action.
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