[prakruti] Cauvery a toxic river: study - DNA

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AVShenoy <av_shenoy

[prakruti] Cauvery a toxic river: study - DNA

Kisan Mehta G <kisansbc@gmail ...snip...

prakruti >

 

Friday, November 16, 2007 1:04:00 PM

 

Permission to reprint or copy this article or photo must be obtained

from

www.3dsyndication.com.

 

Cauvery a toxic river: study

 

IANS

 

METTUR: The water of the river Cauvery - one of the

major rivers of south India that is considered sacred by Hindus and is

used extensively for drinking and irrigation -- contains 28 toxic

chemicals, a study has found.

 

Mettur's environment is contaminated with dioxins, furans and 52 other

toxic chemicals, says a report titled " Unfolding Disaster: A Study

of Chemplast's Toxic Contamination in Mettur " , released by the

Chennai-based Community Environmental Monitoring (CEM).

The study of 52 chemicals traced in the area was conducted at the behest

of the West Gonur Farmers Welfare Association to verify complaints by

farmers of contamination of aquifers, farmlands, streams and the Cauvery

by factories of Chemplast and others.

The results have led the West Gonur Farmers Welfare Association to demand

that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) declare Mettur a

" critically polluted area " .

Chemplast was found to be discharging effluents containing 28 chemicals,

including five carcinogens, into the river, the study revealed. At least

six of them exceed safety standards, with concentrations of vinyl

chloride 546 times, Bis (2-chloroethyl) ether 257 times,

1,2-dichloroethane 82 times and 1,2-dichlorobenzene 65 times the safe

levels.

" The possible combined effect of exposure to 52 chemicals points to

nothing less than a public health disaster, " said Rakhal Gaitonde, a

public health expert who reviewed the report.

" There is potential for serious, unpredictable and potentially

irreversible consequences, as well as long-term damage to the

environment, livelihoods, food and water security, " he

warned.

Dioxins can cause severe immune and reproductive system disorders, as

well as birth defects. Mercury too causes birth defects and damages the

central nervous system. Both chemicals persist in the environment and

travel and magnify up the food chain to be found in milk and

fish.

The farmers had sought an independent study, saying the Tamil Nadu

Pollution Control Board had always maintained that the discharge from

chemical factories in Mettur was safe.

The independent study, however, showed that the treated wastewater was

toxic and must not be emptied into the Cauvery or the ground as it

contaminates bore wells.

The study was released just two days after Tamil Nadu's Agriculture

Minister Veerapandi Arumugam released a report from Chemplast

highlighting the company's commitment to the environment.

It reported results of nine samples -- including effluents from Chemplast

Sanmar's PVC factory and groundwater, soil and sediment.

The samples were analysed for organic chemicals and mercury at US-based

Specialty Analytical and for dioxins/furans at Pace Analytical Services

using the US Environmental Protection Agency's protocols. The

organisation said no reliable lab that could do the analyses as per US

EPA protocols was found in India.

Past studies by the CPCB and the Soil Testing Laboratory have confirmed

the unsuitability of well water around Chemplast for irrigation. But

neither agency has analysed the water for organic chemicals.

After several earlier studies and the present CEM report, the Mettur

community is now recommending a comprehensive assessment of toxicity in

the region, a complete cleanup, stringent standards for effluents, better

testing facilities and monitoring and a stronger public health

system.

 

artAt 11:03 AM 11/18/07, you wrote:

AVShenoy

<av_shenoy

[prakruti] Cauvery a toxic river: study - DNA

Kisan Mehta G <kisansbc@gmail ...snip...

prakruti >

 

Friday, November 16, 2007 1:04:00 PM

 

Permission to reprint or copy this article or photo must be obtained from

www.3dsyndication.com.

 

Cauvery a toxic river: study

 

IANS

 

METTUR: The water of the river Cauvery - one of the major rivers of south

India that is considered sacred by Hindus and is used extensively for

drinking and irrigation -- contains 28 toxic chemicals, a study has

found.

Mettur's environment is contaminated with dioxins, furans and 52 other

toxic chemicals, says a report titled " Unfolding Disaster: A Study

of Chemplast's Toxic Contamination in Mettur " , released by the

Chennai-based Community Environmental Monitoring (CEM).

The study of 52 chemicals traced in the area was conducted at the behest

of the West Gonur Farmers Welfare Association to verify complaints by

farmers of contamination of aquifers, farmlands, streams and the Cauvery

by factories of Chemplast and others.

The results have led the West Gonur Farmers Welfare Association to demand

that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) declare Mettur a

" critically polluted area " .

Chemplast was found to be discharging effluents containing 28 chemicals,

including five carcinogens, into the river, the study revealed. At least

six of them exceed safety standards, with concentrations of vinyl

chloride 546 times, Bis (2-chloroethyl) ether 257 times,

1,2-dichloroethane 82 times and 1,2-dichlorobenzene 65 times the safe

levels.

" The possible combined effect of exposure to 52 chemicals points to

nothing less than a public health disaster, " said Rakhal Gaitonde, a

public health expert who reviewed the report.

" There is potential for serious, unpredictable and potentially

irreversible consequences, as well as long-term damage to the

environment, livelihoods, food and water security, " he warned.

Dioxins can cause severe immune and reproductive system disorders, as

well as birth defects. Mercury too causes birth defects and damages the

central nervous system. Both chemicals persist in the environment and

travel and magnify up the food chain to be found in milk and fish.

The farmers had sought an independent study, saying the Tamil Nadu

Pollution Control Board had always maintained that the discharge from

chemical factories in Mettur was safe.

The independent study, however, showed that the treated wastewater was

toxic and must not be emptied into the Cauvery or the ground as it

contaminates bore wells.

The study was released just two days after Tamil Nadu's Agriculture

Minister Veerapandi Arumugam released a report from Chemplast

highlighting the company's commitment to the environment.

It reported results of nine samples -- including effluents from Chemplast

Sanmar's PVC factory and groundwater, soil and sediment.

The samples were analysed for organic chemicals and mercury at US-based

Specialty Analytical and for dioxins/furans at Pace Analytical Services

using the US Environmental Protection Agency's protocols. The

organisation said no reliable lab that could do the analyses as per US

EPA protocols was found in India.

Past studies by the CPCB and the Soil Testing Laboratory have confirmed

the unsuitability of well water around Chemplast for irrigation. But

neither agency has analysed the water for organic chemicals.

After several earlier studies and the present CEM report, the Mettur

community is now recommending a comprehensive assessment of toxicity in

the region, a complete cleanup, stringent standards for effluents, better

testing facilities and monitoring and a stronger public health

system.

 

 

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