The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board will conduct an in-depth study of the effects of mercury in the environment caused by the now-defunct thermometer manufacturing unit of Hindustan Unilever in Kodaikanal. In response to The Hindu ’s report ‘Unilever ready to clean up premises at Kodaikanal. Seeks consent of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board’ on August 6, the Board has said that it has written to the unit asking why there was delay in submission of a detailed project report (DPR) on soil remediation, containment of remediated soil as directed by the Scientific Expert Committee formed by the Supreme Court. A press release from TNPCB chairman Skandan said the Committee, which met on July 28, 2015, had recommended soil remediation on the unit’s premises. The unit was asked to furnish the DPR within a month but it has not done it as yet. Once the TNPCB receives the DPR, it will be examined in consultation with Local Area Committee for further action, he said. Meanwhile, activists with the Chennai Solidarity Group urged the TNPCB to ensure that the Detailed Project Report is commissioned by the Board, and not Unilever. “This is what would be in line with the directions of the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee and the Local Area Environment Committee,” said Nityanand Jayaraman of the Chennai Solidarity Group. Welcoming the Board’s statement, the group, which released the minutes of a meeting of the Local Area Committee in 2005, said they showed that the “TNPCB is directed to make an assessment of the extent of contamination and to calculate the costs involved in rehabilitation / remediation of the contaminated areas...TNPCB is further responsible for ensuring that the costs of such remediation are borne by HLL, if necessary by invoking Rule 16(2) of the HW Rules.” Asks why there is delay in submission of DPR on soil remediation