TN Human Rights Commission gets into action over startling mercury levels near Kodaikanal factory
news Friday, June 26, 2015 - 05:30
The Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of news reports over the latest April, 2015 samples containing high levels of mercury found near the site of the Kodaikanal thermometer factory.
The commission has now given six weeks for the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Chennai and the District Collector of Dindigul to submit a report on the issue.
The move has come following discovery of high levels of mercury taken from samples near the factory shut down in 2001. Samples of lichen collected near a stream passing through the Pambar Shola forests had the highest mercury content – 53 mg/ kg mercury.
In comparison, a lichen sample taken from a property across the street from the factory contained 2.96 mg/kg mercury. Activists believed that considering that the streams pass through to the Pambar river, join the Varaha river and go on to connect to the Vaigai river which has a sizable acquatic life, the presence of mercury would be detrimental.
(Image for representation purpose: kodaimercury.org)
Read Despite factory shutdown 14 years ago, Kodaikanal still shows toxic levels of mercury
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