The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked Manali Petrochemicals Ltd., Tamilnadu Petrochemicals Ltd., and Kothari Petrochemicals Ltd. to pay an interim environmental compensation of ₹2 crore, ₹1 crore and ₹10 lakh respectively for causing marine pollution in north Chennai.
The Bench said that as per various reports submitted, the BOD and COD levels in the marine discharge of effluents by Manali Petrochemicals and Tamilnadu Petrochemicals Ltd. were not in conformity with the marine discharge standards, though there was some improvement after technological improvements suggested by a joint committee. The Bench rejected the submission made by the counsel for Manali Petrochemicals Ltd. and Tamilnadu Petrochemicals Ltd. that zero liquid discharge (ZLD) was not possible. “ZLD if done within a phased manner applying the latest technologies available in this regard was possible. Nothing is impossible in view of the improvement in the technology,” the Bench said.
The tribunal directed the three companies to engage the National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai, and NEERI to conduct a study regarding the feasibility of introducing ZLD for discharge of effluents generated within their units to avoid marine discharge, in a phased manner. “That expense will have to be shared by them for this purpose in proportion to the quantity of marine discharge made by them,” the Bench said.
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has been directed to monitor the units to ascertain whether the marine discharge was meeting the required standards till the alternative method of ZLD system was introduced or till it met the prescribed standards.
The joint committee appointed by the tribunal was also directed to conduct a long-term study for the remediation afters assessing the damage caused to the environment.
