It is a bitter truth known to all of us that Ranipet holds the 3rd spot on the list of the most polluted cities in the world. For ages, the lives of lakhs of people who rely on this land for their livelihood have been thrown into question.
Rulers may change, and officials may change, but the toxicity of Ranipet’s soil and the sorrow of its people remain unaltered.
Here are some critical facts regarding the current dire state of our land for public awareness:
Toxic waste: Chromium in the industrial complex at Ranipet, Tamil Nadu.
1. The Venom-Spitting 'Red Category' Industries
Within the Ranipet SIPCOT complex, 16 'Red Category' industries, including Thirumalai Chemicals, Ultramarine, and Malladi, are devastating the water, land, and air by failing to manage toxic waste properly. The toxins they emit are slowly killing the lungs of the people and the fertility of this soil.
2. The Monsoon 'Toxicity Festival'
Specifically, companies like
Thirumalai Chemicals have made it a 'habit' to illegally release highly toxic waste, stored within their premises, into rainwater drains during the monsoon season. Despite this being confirmed and fines being imposed in 2019 and 2020, the fact that this continues today highlights the weakness of the administration.
3. The Never-Ending Curse: 1.6 Lakh Tons of Chromium Waste
Approximately 1.6 lakh tons of chromium waste from the defunct 'Tamil Nadu Chromates' company have been lying in massive heaps for years without being removed. When drenched in rain, these wastes poison the groundwater, exposing the local population to deadly diseases, including cancer. The government machinery that should remove these 'Cancer Mountains' remains in a deep slumber.
4. Unaccounted Fines
Fines exceeding ₹7 Crores were imposed on defaulting industries by the Central and State Pollution Control Boards. Was this amount ever collected? If so, was it used to remediate the affected lands? There is absolutely no information regarding this in the public domain.
Our Rights: Demands to the Government!
The struggle to reform the administration and protect the people's right to life is now a necessity of the times. These are the people's demands:
1.Strict Audit: The Pollution Control Board must immediately conduct a comprehensive audit of all toxic industries operating in Ranipet.
2.Permanent Closure: Immediate action must be taken to permanently shut down industries that continuously violate regulations, without any recommendations for leniency.
3.Removal of Chromium Waste: Measures must be taken on a war footing to relocate the 1.6 lakh tons of stagnant chromium waste to a safe location and remediate the soil.
4.Clarity on Fund Utilization: The imposed fines must be collected immediately and utilized to restore the affected water bodies and land.
Conclusion
It is our foremost duty to rescue Ranipet, which has become unfit for human habitation, from these toxins. If the concerned administration and rulers fail to take appropriate action, it is imperative to launch sustained protests to safeguard the people's right to life.
Ranipet is not just a forest of factories; it is land where humans must live!
The failure to take action to rescue Ranipet from this severe pollution is a downfall in the nation's ethics and justice! Let this reach the ears of those concerned, at least during this election season!
P.Sekar,
Advocate
Source: Complaint petition by Walaja J. Hasean (Ex-MLA) and Pollution Control Board reports.
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