Villagers appeal for closure of polluting aluminium factory

  • 28/01/2014

  • Hindu (Chennai)

Thanneerpandhal residents’ earlier petitions remain unattended The public of Thanneerpandhal village in Gudiyatham taluk met the Vellore Collector R. Nanthagopal during the weekly public grievances redressal day camp at the Collectorate here on Monday and submitted to him a memorandum urging him to take immediate steps to close an aluminium factory in the village which has been causing air pollution and the resultant health hazards to the people in the nearby Adi Dravida colony. The memorandum submitted by the villagers stated that due to the melting of liquor bottle lids, pesticide containers and old aluminium articles, obnoxious toxic fumes emanated from the aluminium factory resulting in respiratory problems, problems in the ear, skin irritation and eye irritation to the people. The toxic fumes spread to the nearby Adi Dravida colony and polluted the food and drinking water, posing threat to their lives. The loud noise generated because of the heavy power pressure required for thinning the aluminium resulted in cracks in some of the houses. It also caused a rise in the blood pressure of the residents, it pointed out. The heavy noise produced while converting the aluminium sheets into vessels resulted in deafness. Students studying in the panchayat union elementary school located close to the factory were unable to concentrate on their studies because of the environmental and health problems caused by the factory. Children and adults suffered from sleeplessness on account of this, they said. The villagers pointed out that despite petitions submitted to the Collector, Tahsildar, Block Development Officer and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) since November 5, 2012, no action had been taken against the factory. They have also sent copies of the memorandum to the Chief Minister’s Cell, Chennai, TNPCB, Chennai and Vaniyambadi, and the Tamil Nadu Ministers for Environment and Health.