National Green Tribunal orders high-level committee to submit report on oil spill in Ennore-Manali area

NGT orders 6-member committee to inspect Ennore-Manali region oil spills; TNPCB finds traces of oil in Buckingham Canal; TN govt yet to set up Expert Committee; CPCL oil waste mixed into sea, damaging marine resources; TN govt to investigate & take action. #CycloneMichaung

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a six-member committee to inspect the areas in Ennore-Manali region where there were oil spills.

Hearing a suo motu case on the oil spill in Ernavoor from Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited, the Bench ordered the committee to directly inspect the site on December 11, collect samples of the oil film in the residential area, submit a detailed report on the chemicals found on December 12.

The committee will comprise the Environment and Climate Change Department Secretary, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) Chairman, the Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department, Chennai Division, the Director of the Fisheries Department, and the Collectors of Chennai and Tiruvallur.

After a video of dark oil flowing through floodwater in the Ennore area went viral on social media, a team from TNPCB on Friday found traces of oil in Buckingham Canal and said the oil on the grounds of CPCL could have mixed with floodwater and flowed out of its premises. 

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for TNPCB said there was no evidence that oil waste was intentionally let out. The Bench, comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, questioned how the TNPCB could say it was ‘traces of oil’ as the remains of the oil sludge was spread over 5 km along the Manali industrial estate and residential areas.

Inquiring about the steps taken by the Collector and Revenue Department about the issue, the Bench asked: “Why has the Tamil Nadu government not yet set up an Expert Committee to find out the real situation?”

The Bench also asked the counsel appearing for the Central Pollution Control Board: “If the oil companies came to know about this information only after 5 km of oil spillage, what disaster prevention plan did the companies have?” The matter has been adjourned to December 12.