Report on coastal pollution, Tamil Nadu, 01/02/2020
Joint committee inspection report as per the National Green Tribunal order of December 3, 2019 in O.A. No. 1029 of 2019 submitted on February 2020. The matter relates to coastal pollution on account of dumping of waste and discharge of sewage and effluents in Tamil Nadu. A joint committee comprising of members of Central Pollution Control Board, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and Greater Chennai Corporation inspected the shoreline of Pattinampakkam near the confluence point of river Adyar on February 3, 2020.
No sea foaming was noticed and mixed sewage inflow from Adyar river into sea was observed due to low tide action. The committee recommended that TNPCB should monitor the common sewage treatment plants located at Nesapakkam operated by Chennai Metro Water Supply & Sewerage Board and M/s. Pallavaram Tanners Industrial Effluent Treatment Company Limited. Also, the flow meters installed at CSTPS should be connected to TNPCB online monitoring system for effective monitoring. The Chennai River Restoration Trust (CRRT) has been asked to review the performance of the works carried out by the CRRT regularly. The action plan of CRRT involved abatement of pollution, eviction of encroachments, plugging of sewer in-falls providing interceptors and diversion arrangements, modular sewage treatment plants, widening and deepening of waterways.