Clear crude oil before Sunday, NGT orders CPCL
On the other hand, CPCL, from where crude oil mixed with the rainwater, said that around 7,260 litres of crude oil waste has been removed from the river and assured that 95 per cent works will be completed by December 17.
Visuals from Ennore. Hemanathan M
CHENNAI: The southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to remove the entire crude oil spill from Kosasthalaiyar River and Ennore Creek before December 17 (Sunday).
While hearing a suo motu case pertaining to the oil spill incident, Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati of the southern bench, directed both CPCL and TNPCB to file their report on December 18, when the next hearing has been scheduled.
Earlier, the TNPCB apprised the bench that a full investigation report on the incident will be submitted during the next hearing and a special team has been formed to evaluate damages caused by the oil spill on biodiversity of the region as wells as nesting sites of Olive Ridley turtles. The pollution control board also has sought IIT-M's expertise on oil removal and pollution mitigation technologies.
On the other hand, CPCL, from where crude oil mixed with the rainwater, said that around 7,260 litres of crude oil waste has been removed from the river and assured that 95 per cent works will be completed by December 17.
In a report submitted to the Tribunal, CPCL stated that the storm water system of CPCL was handling the flood situation, however, the discharge of 48,000 cusecs of water from Poondi and Puzhal reservoirs worsened the situation. "The District Administration was promptly informed about the situation and CPCL management requested to regulate the discharge of water from the reservoirs to prevent complete flooding of the refinery, " the report said.
The CPCL added that the extent of flooding was unprecedented and has never been experienced in the history of CPCL even during the previous 2015 floods. Due to the adverse conditions, CPCL team used boats and fire trucks to enter into the refinery to keep a check on the refinery operation to prevent any damage to the machinery system and ensured that there was no pipeline leak, it claimed.