Ennore Gas leak: TNPCB to test soil quality of industrial estates
The document added that as the pace of industrial growth is accelerating in already developed and densely populated areas, TNPCB needs to be more watchful in terms of pollution and its control.
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CHENNAI: At a time when oil leak and gas leak in Ennore raised environmental concerns forcing residents to protest against the polluting firms, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has decided to test soil quality across all the industrial estates in the state and prepare a soil quality map.
According to a TNPCB document, SIPCOT has created Industrial Complexes and Parks, strategically located in 21 places and 12 Districts of Tamil Nadu.
Likewise, State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIDCO) maintains 41 Government Industrial Estates apart from running 87 Industrial Estates established on its own, thus maintaining totally 127 Industrial Estates.
The document added that as the pace of industrial growth is accelerating in already developed and densely populated areas, TNPCB needs to be more watchful in terms of pollution and its control.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) also instructed TNPCB to conduct studies in the thrust areas such as environmental pollution, phytoremediation of sewage and effluents, restoration of affected soils and others.
Moreover, the state government has made an announcement in the assembly that soil quality mapping of Tamil Nadu will be carried out. There are more than 53,488 industrial units in the state that come under the purview of TNPCB.
An official said that the pollution control board has invited experts to prepare the soil quality map. Under the initiative, locations of industrial areas such as SIPCOT, SIDCO, critically polluted areas as notified by CPCB, contaminated sites will be mapped using satellite data.
During the process, characterization of soil and water quality in the identified areas will be done apart from preparing a soil quality mapping adjacent to the industrial areas using geo-spatial tools.
Analyzing the impact of industrial effluents and wastes on food system and environment, and remediation and reclamation of affected areas for sustaining soil and environmental health will be proposed for implementation.