Cuddalore, 20 February 2006: In a surprise night patrol conducted by the SACEM monitors last night, four units from SIPCOT have been caught red-handed releasing toxic gases in the air. The patrol began at 9:35 pm at night and ended at 10:00 pm. According to the report of the monitors the four units – Pioneer Miyagi Chemicals, SPIC Pharmaceuticals, Shasun Chemicals and TNFAC, had extremely high intensity of chemical odour and some of them also had smoke releasing from them in the night. In case of Shasun Chemicals the chemicals odour was reported to be 10 on a scale of 1 to 10, thus exhibiting the intensity of the odour. Heavy smoke was reported particularly from Pioneer Miyagi, Shasun Chemicals and TANFAC.
The SACEM monitors have constantly reported that the pollution level especially air pollution tends to increase tremendously in the nights. This is one clear example of it, this patrol report once again highlights the ineffectiveness of the TNPCB in
ensuring that toxics are not released in the environment. A complaint in this regard has been sent to the local office of TNPCB and their response if awaited.
Report of the patrol:
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S No.
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Name of the Unit
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Time
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Wind direction
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Odour
|
Rank
|
Health effects
|
Other observations
|
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1.
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Pioneer Miyagi
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9:35 pm
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NE to SW
|
Roasted powder and methane
|
6
|
Throat irritation
|
Thick smoke was noticed from the unit
|
|
2.
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SPIC Pharmaceuticals
|
9:45 pm
|
NE to SW
|
Toilet and rotten odour
|
9
|
Suffocation, stomach rumbling and giddiness
|
—
|
|
3.
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Shasun
|
9:50 pm
|
NE to SW
|
Sour neem cake odour
|
4 – 10
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Stomach rumbling and sourness in mouth was felt
|
Very dense smoke from the unit
|
|
4.
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TANFAC
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10:00 pm
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NE to SW
|
Roasted powder odour
|
6
|
Throat irritation
|
Very thick white smoke reported from the unit
|