Pollution at Royapuram
Pollution perils in Royapuram
The iron-ore deposit in Royapuram is posing a serious health hazard to its residents.
IN ROYAPURAM, during summer a tinted inshore wind turns everything into a shade of red. From leaves to clothes and from your pet dog to the frothing milk, the colour of the season is red. , . The reason for this is visible from the roof of the MV Hospital- mountains of iron ore (it is dark red coloured soil) that silhouette the sky.
Sea breeze that blows through the city shower these iron ore particles on everything in its way. You talk and your tongue turns gritty. You stand and your clothes change colour. Long-time residents, Dr. Ravi, Cardiologist and Dr. Nammalvar, pediatrician, recalls the good old days when Anglo Indians dominated the community. "There were clean streets and carol singing," says Dr. Ravi. "Also coconut trees, ponds, corporation school and a railway ground in which kids played," recalls Dr. Nammalvar. Ravi's wife Leema says, "Coal and ore dust settle in different seasons. We clean the house all day and dry the clothes indoors. When it rains we are dust-free." The doctors worry about the health of the area's children. "In the last 40 years I have seen a noticeable increase in respiratory problems among children," says the pediatrician.
"Out of the 40 kids I examine nearly 25 suffer from it. ." He blames the smoke-belching industries in Ennore, Manali and Thiruvottiyur along with the port for the predicament.
"Sometimes foul air reaches as far as Thambu Chetty Street," he says. . "Children get nocturnal cough, wheezing and respiratory infection. Such cases were rare 15-20 years ago. I advise parents to take the kids away to avoid Cor Pulmanale disease."
More warning comes from Ravi,"Chronic lung problem can lead to restrictive lung disease. Pollution aggravates lung dysfunction. Congestion can lead to cardiac failure." he says.
Diabetologist Vijay Viswanath has to shift if he wants his kids to be off steroids. "They have no trouble breathing when we go to Europe," he says. "Back in Royapuram they are on anti-histamines."
"Only a wall separates the iron ore mountain from people's homes," points out Ernest Paul, president, Royapuram Residents' Welfare Association.
"Iron ore is tipped from open wagons to the ground. Again it is poured into a hatch. These are the times when the dust rises." He finds it hard to swallow the claim that water -sprinkling keeps the dust away." Iron ore export is a 350-crore earner.
Here profit comes first. In January 10,000 residents including 5000 children from local schools formed a human chain to highlight the effects of the breath-defying breeze. PT officials did promise improvements. In fact PCB officials claim air is more breathable now. "Water is sprinkled on wagons and the streets are washed to keep the dust down," they say. "However dust still blows," say the residents. Their only hope now is the lawsuit pending against coal and iron ore handling at the port.
Airborne pollution is just one of the problems Royapuram residents face. Arecent CPR Centre report confirms what housewives have been complaining about.
`Bore water is bluish-grey in colour, tastes salty and has a faint smell of oil'. . "For 50 years oil companies have operated here," says Paul.
"Fertilizer factories send out their effluents into the soil. The harbour uses a lot of ground water. Put all these together and you'll know why groundwater is mucky." Families like that of Aktar's who took the bold step of taking up the issue with the corporation now regret it. . Workers cut off their water supply, dug up a huge pit in front of the house and left it unfilled."We have five kids in the building," says Aktar. "We shut them inside at night fall."
Leema and Josephine collect water from the street corner containers. This value-added water with worms is good for fish. " We filter the water for cleaning and washing, for cooking and drinking we buy," she says. "Jaundice and typhoid have increased over the years," says Nammalvar.
The South and East Mada Church Street residents have to contend with the scores of goods truck parked all over the place. Thelorries are washed, loaded and unloaded in the carriageway all day.
"We can't use those streets at all," say the hapless residents. . The lorries add to the air pollution and the water used for cleaning ) seeps into the ground. "They park the vehicles in front of my house," says Ravi. "If there is an emergency at night, I cannot take my vehicle out to attend to the patient." Incidentally there is a court order that disallows vehicle parking on the Mada Church streets around St. Peter's. And the residents want this compressed area to be de-congested. "Isn't a clean environment our right? Asks Nammalvar. Until then life is not rosy for the residents of Royapuram.
Culprits
TNPCB getting crores of Bribes from the below company
Chennai Hardbour Officers
Name of CEO Mr. Rajamohan Reddy
Establishment Year 1972
Primary Business Type Manufacturer, Exporter & Supplier
Annual Sales Rs. 110 Crores
Number of Employees 550
Market Covered USA, Japan, China & Total Gulf Region
The iron-ore deposit in Royapuram is posing a serious health hazard to its residents.
IN ROYAPURAM, during summer a tinted inshore wind turns everything into a shade of red. From leaves to clothes and from your pet dog to the frothing milk, the colour of the season is red. , . The reason for this is visible from the roof of the MV Hospital- mountains of iron ore (it is dark red coloured soil) that silhouette the sky.
Sea breeze that blows through the city shower these iron ore particles on everything in its way. You talk and your tongue turns gritty. You stand and your clothes change colour. Long-time residents, Dr. Ravi, Cardiologist and Dr. Nammalvar, pediatrician, recalls the good old days when Anglo Indians dominated the community. "There were clean streets and carol singing," says Dr. Ravi. "Also coconut trees, ponds, corporation school and a railway ground in which kids played," recalls Dr. Nammalvar. Ravi's wife Leema says, "Coal and ore dust settle in different seasons. We clean the house all day and dry the clothes indoors. When it rains we are dust-free." The doctors worry about the health of the area's children. "In the last 40 years I have seen a noticeable increase in respiratory problems among children," says the pediatrician.
"Out of the 40 kids I examine nearly 25 suffer from it. ." He blames the smoke-belching industries in Ennore, Manali and Thiruvottiyur along with the port for the predicament.
"Sometimes foul air reaches as far as Thambu Chetty Street," he says. . "Children get nocturnal cough, wheezing and respiratory infection. Such cases were rare 15-20 years ago. I advise parents to take the kids away to avoid Cor Pulmanale disease."
More warning comes from Ravi,"Chronic lung problem can lead to restrictive lung disease. Pollution aggravates lung dysfunction. Congestion can lead to cardiac failure." he says.
Diabetologist Vijay Viswanath has to shift if he wants his kids to be off steroids. "They have no trouble breathing when we go to Europe," he says. "Back in Royapuram they are on anti-histamines."
"Only a wall separates the iron ore mountain from people's homes," points out Ernest Paul, president, Royapuram Residents' Welfare Association.
"Iron ore is tipped from open wagons to the ground. Again it is poured into a hatch. These are the times when the dust rises." He finds it hard to swallow the claim that water -sprinkling keeps the dust away." Iron ore export is a 350-crore earner.
Here profit comes first. In January 10,000 residents including 5000 children from local schools formed a human chain to highlight the effects of the breath-defying breeze. PT officials did promise improvements. In fact PCB officials claim air is more breathable now. "Water is sprinkled on wagons and the streets are washed to keep the dust down," they say. "However dust still blows," say the residents. Their only hope now is the lawsuit pending against coal and iron ore handling at the port.
Airborne pollution is just one of the problems Royapuram residents face. Arecent CPR Centre report confirms what housewives have been complaining about.
`Bore water is bluish-grey in colour, tastes salty and has a faint smell of oil'. . "For 50 years oil companies have operated here," says Paul.
"Fertilizer factories send out their effluents into the soil. The harbour uses a lot of ground water. Put all these together and you'll know why groundwater is mucky." Families like that of Aktar's who took the bold step of taking up the issue with the corporation now regret it. . Workers cut off their water supply, dug up a huge pit in front of the house and left it unfilled."We have five kids in the building," says Aktar. "We shut them inside at night fall."
Leema and Josephine collect water from the street corner containers. This value-added water with worms is good for fish. " We filter the water for cleaning and washing, for cooking and drinking we buy," she says. "Jaundice and typhoid have increased over the years," says Nammalvar.
The South and East Mada Church Street residents have to contend with the scores of goods truck parked all over the place. Thelorries are washed, loaded and unloaded in the carriageway all day.
"We can't use those streets at all," say the hapless residents. . The lorries add to the air pollution and the water used for cleaning ) seeps into the ground. "They park the vehicles in front of my house," says Ravi. "If there is an emergency at night, I cannot take my vehicle out to attend to the patient." Incidentally there is a court order that disallows vehicle parking on the Mada Church streets around St. Peter's. And the residents want this compressed area to be de-congested. "Isn't a clean environment our right? Asks Nammalvar. Until then life is not rosy for the residents of Royapuram.
Culprits
TNPCB getting crores of Bribes from the below company
Chennai Hardbour Officers
Name of CEO Mr. Rajamohan Reddy
Establishment Year 1972
Primary Business Type Manufacturer, Exporter & Supplier
Annual Sales Rs. 110 Crores
Number of Employees 550
Market Covered USA, Japan, China & Total Gulf Region
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