CUDDALORE, 19 June, 2009 — Two workers were injured during unloading of “soda lime” from a truck at Chemplast Sanmar on 12 June, 2009, at 11 a.m. N. Rajkumar and Veeramani of Semmankuppam sustained burns on their arms and stomach, and were admitted to the Cuddalore Government Hospital. SACEM has reported the incident to the Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board, Inspector of Factories, and the District Collector. The company’s VCM-PVC factory in Semmankuppam does not have license (Consent) to operate under Air and Water Acts.
Four days later, on the night of 15 June, 2009, one worker was injured after the machine he was operating caused a leakage in the pipeline. The leaking chemicals spilled on to the worker’s trousers and burnt it through. Chemplast has been expressly instructed by the TNPCB against operating the plant even on a trial basis without obtaining a license. Between February 25 and 27, the company conducted trial runs in its plant without any permission. Around the same time, the Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board sent back a ship carrying VCM for Chemplast arrived in Cuddalore port.
Chemplast’s ongoing unlicensed trial production demonstrated its disregard for laws, SACEM said.