As waste piles up in Kasimedu fishing harbour, NGT seeks alternatives to thermocol boxes

CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Chennai Fishing Harbour Management Committee, the Greater Chennai Corporation, and the State Fisheries Department to find alternatives to thermocol boxes for fishes to avoid waste entering into the sea from the Kasimedu fishing harbour.

While hearing a suo motu case on Monday, the bench comprising judicial member Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati observed that originally bamboo baskets were used for carrying fish but now people were using thermocol boxes to keep the fish fresh.

"Whenever these thermocol boxes give way, they are dumped into the water bodies, which then get accumulated near the Kasimedu fishing harbour, making the place unhealthy for fish breeding. Over 7,000 boats of fishermen, including catamarans, are also being berted in the same area," the bench observed during the hearing.

Noting that more than 200 tonnes of fish are sold every day in the Kasimedu fishing harbour, and that the plastic, wood and thermocol waste generated after sales have become a matter of concern, the NGT directed the authorities (Chennai Fishing Harbour Management Committee, Greater Chennai Corporation and Fisheries department) to suggest how to reduce the trash.

The green tribunal also asked the authorities alternatives to thermocol boxes and enquired about suggestions to prevent waste from entering into water bodies and the sea.

"The individual authorities in consultation with the stakeholders can come up with any workable solution that is economical for the vendors and easy for the authorities, to keep the area clean. The authorities can also suggest recyclable thermocol insulated plastic boxes instead of plain thermocol boxes for the above usage," the National Green Tribunal observed.

Additionally, instructions were given to to the authorities who suugested having cold storage facilities at the fish market over using thermocol boxes.

Appointing the secretary of the fisheries department as the nodal agency for convening a meeting on the matter, the green tribunal directed the authorities to file reports after consulting stakeholders.