Cuddalore July 15, 2005: SACEM monitors conducted several pollution patrols from the evening of 5th to 10th of July and documented a series of chemical odours, intensity of which ranked from 2 to 8. The various chemical odours documented were of sapotta, roasted powder, hospital, and rotten smell.
The patrol conducted in SIPCOT area were also to document the existing pollution in the area, despite the fact that the SCMC had ordered the TNPCB and industries to initiate the process of cleaning up the SIPCOT air and bring down the levels of VOCs in September 2004. The deadline for implementing the SCMC recommendation expired on June 30, 2005.
SACEM has already established that the chemical odours in the air also indicate the presence of VOCs in the air. The bucket samples taken during similar chemicals odours proved the presence of VOCs in the extremely high levels in the air.
So far SACEM has identified the presence of 24 chemicals in the air through a series of bucket sampling exercises.
Also read Air Quality Reports of SACEM
Gas Trouble II: Air Quality Status and Assessment of TNPCB’s Compliance to Supreme Court Monitoring Committee Order. Download report May 2005 (Adobe pdf format)
- 22 toxic chemicals found in SIPCOT air, in quantities even 20000 times above the USEPA levels! GAS TROUBLE Air Quality in SIPCOT, Cuddalore India (Adobe pdf file) Sept. 2004
- Chemical odours in SIPCOT industrial complex, the community environmental map down the variety and the pattern in an indicative study. New Report on Chemical Odours and Health Effects by Community Monitors, Tamil Nadu India Adobe pdf file
Pollution Patrol Report
Date: 05.07.2005
Time: 6:15 pm to 7:35 pm
| Company | Time | Wind direction | Chemical odour | Rank | Health effects | Location of monitors | Other comments |
| Arkema Peroxides and Bayer
|
6:15 pm | South East to North West | No Smell | — | — | North side of Bayer | —
|
| Pioneer Miyagi Ltd.
|
6:25 pm | South East to North West | No Smell | — | — | East Coast Road | — |
| SPIC | 6:30 pm | South East to North West | ETP Smell and Rotten Smell | 5 | Stomach rumbling and breathing trouble
|
Eachangadu village | — |
| Asian Paints | 6:35 pm | South East to North West
|
Chikoo Smell | 3 | — | Riverside service road | Steam sound noticed from the unit |
| CUSECS 5 | 6:40 pm | South East to North West
|
Mixed smell | 5 | Suffocation and headache | Near CUSECS 5 | — |
| Aurobindo Pharma | 6:40 pm | South East to North West
|
Unidentified smell | 2 | — | 4th Service Road | — |
| Shasun Drugs and Chemicals Ltd.
|
6:40 pm | South East to North West | Acid and toilet smell | 7 | Suffocation and headache | Kudikadu Road | Motor sound and steam sound |
| Guru Enterprises | 6:50 pm | South East to North West
|
Acetic acid smell | 7 | Breathing problems | East Coast Road | — |
| TANFAC | 6:55 pm | South East to North West
|
Powder mixed acid smell | 3 | — | 3rd service road | — |
| Victory Chemicals | 7:00 pm | South East to North West
|
Spices smell | 8 | Eye burning and suffocation | Near the industry riverside | — |
| Tagros | 7:10 pm | South East to North West
|
Unidentified smell | 4 | — | 1st service road | Steam sound and white smoke noticed from the chimney |
| Tantech Agro Chemicals | 7:35 pm | South East to North West
|
Smoke mixed acid smell | 4 | Eye burning sensation | 5th service road | — |
Pollution Patrol Report
Date: 06.07.2005
Time: 5:20 pm to 7:30 pm
| Company | Time | Wind direction | Chemical odour | Rank | Health effects | Location of monitors | Other comments |
| Pioneer Miyagi Ltd.
|
5:20 pm | South East to North West | Roasted powder smell | 2 | — | East coast road | —
|
| SPIC | 5:30 pm | South East to North West
|
Rotten material smell and penicillin and glucose smell
|
5 | Stomach rumbling and vomiting sensation | East Coast Road | — |
| Tantech Agro Chemicals | 5:35 pm | South East to North West | Acid mixed smell | 7 | Eye burning, suffocation and throat burning
|
5th cross road | High white smoke |
| Asian Paints | 5:40 pm | South East to North West
|
Chikoo Smell | 4 | Headache | Service road | — |
| Aurobindo Pharma | 5:50 pm | South East to North West
|
— | — | — | 4th cross road | — |
| CUSECS 5 | 5:55 pm | South East to North West
|
Rotten mixed smell | 7 | — | Close to CUSECS no 5 | — |
| Shasun Drugs and Chemicals Ltd.
|
6:00 pm | South East to North West | Spirit and toilet smell | 6 | Stomach rumbling and headache | Service road | — |
| Vanavil | 6:05 pm | South East to North West
|
— | — | — | East Coast Road | — |
| TANFAC | 6:15 pm | South East to North West
|
Powder mixed acid smell and DDHF smell | 8 | Suffocating, eye burning and throat burning | Service road | Light smoke |
| Victory Chemicals | 6:20 pm | South East to North West
|
Unidentified smell | 4 | Eye burning and suffocation | Service road | — |
| Tagros | 6:30 pm | South East to North West
|
Hospital smell | 4 | — | Service road | Steam releasing sound |
| Arkema Peroxide | 7:30 pm | South East to North West
|
Neem cake smell | 5 | Headache | East coast road | — |
Note: Incoming effluent water to CUSECS from Loyal Super Fabrics was of the colour of red mud.
Pollution Patrol Report
Date: 07.07.2005
Time: 5:20 pm to 7:30 pm
| Company | Time | Wind direction | Chemical odour | Rank | Health effects | Location of monitors | Other comments |
| Arkema Peroxides | 5:30 pm | South East to North West | Neem Cake | 5 | Headache | East Coast Road | — |
| Pioneer Miyagi Chemicals | 5:45 pm | South East to North West | Dead body odour | 3 | Throat irritation | East Coast Road | — |
| SPIC Pharma | 6:00 pm | South East to North West | Rotten things and Chocolate odour | 4 | Stomach rumbling | East Coast Road | — |
| Tantech Agro Chemicals | 6:10 pm | South East to North West | Washing soap odour | 6 | Eye burning and throat irritation | 5th Cross Road | White smoke noticed from the chimney |
| Asian Paints | 6:15 pm | South East to North West | Sapotta odour | 2 | — | Company service road | — |
| Aurobindo Pharma | 6:20 | South East to North West | — | — | — | 4th cross road | — |
| CUSECS 5 | 6:25 pm | South East to North West | Rotten mixed odour | 5 | Stomach rumbling and headache | Service road | — |
| Shasun Drugs and Chemicals Ltd. | 6:30 pm | South East to North West | Spirit smell and toilet odour | 3 | Headache | Kudikadu road | — |
| Vanavil Dyes | 6:35 pm | South East to North West | — | — | — | East Coast road | — |
| TANFAC | 6:40 pm | South East to North West | Sulphur and acid mixed powder odour | 5 | Eye burning, suffocation and throat irritation | 3rd cross road | — |
| Victory Chemicals | 6:45 pm | South East to North West | Unidentified odour | 4 | Eye burning and throat irritation | Industry service road | — |
| Tagros Chemicals | 7:00 pm | South East to North West | Spirit mixed odour and hospital like odour | 3 | Causing hunger like sensations | 1st cross road | — |
Pollution Patrol Report
Date: 08.07.2005
Time:5:50 pm to 7:15 pm
| Company | Time | Wind direction | Chemical odour | Rank | Health effects | Location of monitors | Other comments |
| Arkema Peroxides | 5:50 pm | South East to North West | Neem Cake | 3 | Headache | East Coast Road, opposite side of the company | — |
| Pioneer Miyagi Chemicals | 6:00 pm | South East to North West | Rotten eggs odour | 3 | Giddiness | East Coast Road, opposite side of the company | — |
| SPIC | 6:10 pm | South East to North West | Fire and toilet odour | 8 | Giddiness | Eachangadu Road | — |
| Tantech Agro Chemicals | 6:20 pm | South East to North West | Mosquito coil odour | 8 | Giddiness | Service road | — |
| Asian Paints | 6:25 pm | South East to North West | Sapotta odour | 4 | Throat irritation | SIPCOT Canteen | — |
| Loyal Super Fabrics | 6:35 pm | South East to North West | Acid odour | 5 | Eye burning | — | — |
| CUSECS 5 | 6:40 pm | South East to North West | Rotten eggs odour | 5 | Headache | SIPCOT canteen | — |
| Shasun Drugs and Chemicals | 6:50 pm | South East to North West | Pesticide odour | 4 | Giddiness and headache | — | — |
| TANFAC | 6:55 pm | South East to North West | Acid odour | 4 | Eye burning | Service road | — |
| Aurobindo Pharma | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tagros Chemicals | 7:00 pm | South East to North West | Pesticide odour | 6 | Eye burning | Service road | — |
| Victory Chemicals | 7:10 pm | South East to North West | — | — | — | Thaikal Thonithurai | — |
| CUSECS 6 | 7:15 pm | South East to North West | Dead body odour | 6 | Headache | Victory road | — |
Pollution Patrol Report
Date:09.07.2005
Time: 5:20 pm to 7:00 pm
| Company | Time | Wind direction | Chemical odour | Rank | Health effects | Location of monitors | Other comments |
| Arkema Peroxides | 5:20 pm | South East to North West | Neem Cake | 4 | Headache | East Coast Road, opposite side of the company | — |
| Pioneer Miyagi Chemicals | 5:30 pm | South East to North West | Rotten eggs odour | 4 | Giddiness | East Coast Road, opposite side of the company | — |
| SPIC | 5:40 pm | South East to North West | Fire and toilet odour | 8 | Giddiness | Eachangadu Road | — |
| Tantech Agro Chemicals | 5:50 pm | South East to North West | Mosquito coil odour | 6 | Giddiness | Service road | — |
| Asian Paints | 6:00 pm | South East to North West | Sapotta odour | 4 | Throat irritation | SIPCOT Canteen | — |
| Loyal Super Fabrics | 6:10 pm | South East to North West | Acid odour | 4 | Eye burning | — | Black smoke form the factory |
| CUSECS 5 | 6:15 pm | South East to North West | Rotten eggs odour | 4 | Headache | SIPCOT canteen | — |
| Shasun Drugs and Chemicals | 6:20 pm | South East to North West | Pesticide odour | 5 | Giddiness and headache | — | — |
| TANFAC | 6:35pm | South East to North West | Sulphur odour | 4 | Eye burning | 3rd Service road | — |
| Aurobindo Pharma | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tagros Chemicals | 6:45 pm | South East to North West | Pesticide odour | 5 | Eye burning | 1st Service road | — |
| Victory Chemicals | 6:55 pm | South East to North West | Sulphur odour | 3 | Eye burning | Thaikal Thonithurai | — |
| CUSECS 6 | 7:00 pm | South East to North West | Rotten body odour | 7 | Headache | Victory Chemical road | — |
Pollution Patrol Report
Date: 10.07.2005
Time: 6:10 pm to 7:45 pm
| Company | Time | Wind direction | Chemical odour | Rank | Health effects | Location of monitors | Other comments |
| Pioneer Miyagi Chemicals | 6:10 pm | South East to North West | Dead body odour | 5 | Throat irritation | East Coast Road, opposite side of the company | — |
| SPIC | 6:20 pm | South East to North West | Sewer mixed rotten odour | 5 | Headache | East Coast Road | — |
| Tantech Agro Chemicals | 6:20 pm | South East to North West | Acid mixed and washing soap odour | 7 | Headache and throat irritation | 5th cross road | — |
| Asian Paints | 6:35 pm | South East to North West | Sapotta odour | 4 | — | Near industry service road | — |
| Aurobindo Pharma | 6:40 pm | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CUSECS 5 | 6:45 pm | South East to North West | Sewer mixed rotten odour | 5 | Headache and stomach rumbling | Service road | — |
| Loyal Super Fabrics | 6:45 pm | South East to North West | Dyeing powder odour | 2 | — | Kudikadu colony | — |
| Shasun Drugs and Chemicals | 6:50 pm | South East to North West | Spirit odour | 6 | Stomach rumbling and vomiting | Kudikadu village | — |
| Vanavil Dyes | 6:55 pm | South East to North West | — | — | — | East Coast road | — |
| TANFAC | 7:00 pm | South East to North West | Acid mixed powder odour | 4 | Throat burning | 3rd Service road | — |
| CUSECS 6 | 7:10 pm | South East to North West | Rotten odour | 6 | Stomach rumbling | Victory Chemical road | — |
| Victory Chemicals | 7:10 pm | South East to North West | Sulphur odour | 5 | Eye irritation and throat irritation | Service road opposite to the compound | — |
| Tagros Chemicals | 7:15 pm | South East to North West | Spent odour | 4 | Suffocation and stomach rumbling | 1st Service road | — |
| Arkema Peroxides | 7:45 pm | South East to North West | — | — | — | East Coast Road, opposite side of the company | — |
SIPCOT air continues to be a cocktail of chemical odours reports SACEM pollution patrol