Cuddalore 9 July 2009: Residents of Eachangadu village reported a breakage and leak in CUSECS pipeline at about 2.30 am today. This pipeline collects water from Pioneer Jellice, Arkema Peroxides, Bayer and Pandian Chemicals. This leak was detected by Shivaraman of Eachangadu village after he noticed a strong rotten dead body like chemical odour at the village entrance. Upon further investigation into the source of the smell, Shivaraman discovered the breakage in the pipeline and the effluent overflow into the Eachangadu canal. The point of overflow was on the western side of the SPIC boundary wall between SPIC and the East Coast Road. SACEM monitors alerted the CUSECS operators at the gates of Pioneer Jellice about the leak at around 2.45 am and subsequently it took the operators almost 3 hours to shut the pump. According to the reports the effluent had a white layer on top and had a very strong rotten dead body odour to it.
A complaint has been sent to the TNPCB and District Administration demanding action on the errant officials and scientific clean up of the contaminated sites.