The proposed industrial park of 1127 acre land is supposed to host the following units: Michelin Tyre Company, aluminum and ferrous alloy metal-maker Hunter Douglas India private Limitied, Harsha Float Glass and Harsha Exito Engineering Private Limited. However investigation by an activist reveals that there is also a brewery which is supposed to come up, linked to the ruling party.
The Environment Impact Assessment study done by Dr. Lakshmanan, Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) notes that the agriculture, livestock and other livelihoods of the Thervoy Kandigai village as well as the other 24 villages will be affected if the Industrial Park comes up in the Thondaiman Lake and Mekkal Poromboke land (Dr Lakshmanan, 2010, Summary attached as Annexure 2). The Mekkal Poromboke land also plays hosts to a variety of medicinal plants, fruits and herbs. The enquiry by National Alliance of People’s Movements suggests that access to drinking water (classified as class A), fuel wood, open space for toilets and menstrual hygiene would also get affected, affecting women more than men.
The Environment Impact Assessment study done by the MIDS notes that the area will receive less rainfall which will affect storage of water in lakes and ground water supply. The quality of atmospheric air and environment would become warm and hot unsuitable for many species The air and ground water pollution would affect the people’s health and increase vulnerability to contagious diseases. The same report notes that the proposed industries would affect the village nerve system, people’s land, agriculture and socio cultural milieu and above all environment degradation and ground water depletion. Further, the industrial establishments will bring along real estate, hotels restaurants, and business centers which might require more land and resources. The researcher from MIDS notes that ultimately the local communities who live in the village at present would lose agriculture land selling their land and live without dignity
Undemocratic process of decision making, unjust government EIA and no pollution control board clearance
Undemocratic process
Just before the SIPCOT industry commenced in 2009, there was a non judicial agreement dated 21-12-2008 between forest department and Thervoy Panchayat stating that the Mekkal grazing land (also classified as reserve forest) will be managed by the panchayat for the year for year 2008-2009, and then handed over to the Village Forest Committee for management between 2009- 12 (See Annex 1).
Further, Gram Sabha which was held on 15-8-2009 in which majority of the six village/hamlets under Therovy Kandigai Panchayat were present took part did not approve the project as it would affect their lives and livelihood (Annexure 3). So it is not clear how the 1325 acres of Mekkal Poromboke/grazing land was handed over without people approving it.
Unjust and False EIA
The EIA report of TN Pollution control board evaluating parameters of the industries speaks of nil distance to sensitive zones and assures zero air or water pollution. It mentions that the water required for the industries would be only 4.5 MLD which be sourced through chennai Metro water. It is deliberately silent about the disastrous implications of the proposed industries will have on its native population- a most strikingly, a complete cessation of farming and allied activities. Curiously the EIA report claims that the 10 km radius of acquired land no protected living beings, water bodies area or sanctuaries. In fact it states that “Around the 10 Km radius, there is no vegetation. But a very small area of protected forest is there”. On 2/8/2010 SIPCOT CMD Niranjan Modi was unavailable for reaction to the MIDS researcher. Mr M.R.J General Manager of Sipcot claimed that the EIA had been done and a public hearing was held, which people had approved (Annexure 4), when actually people had not approved in ( improper) public hearing[1], and as per Gram Sabha resolution(Annexure 3).
The public hearing on the implications of the SIPCOT industrial park was held in Gummudipundi, 15 km away from Thervoy Kandigai, which itself an improper procedure. Hence the public hearing should be again held. The officials in the public hearing admitted that it failed to take into account the inconsistency in the species of flora and fauna reported in the study area, besides lack of studies on the impact during monsoons and loss of employment due to the establishment of industrial park.
Lack of pollution control clearance:
Madhumita Datta, an Independent Researcher and Activist, filed a RTI on 25/2/2011 and was informed on 24-3-2011 that TN Pollution control board has not issued consent for Establishment to the SIPCOT Industrial Park at Thervoy Kandigai
Ongoing destruction and its impact
Discussions with villagers by activists and researchers associated with NAPM reveal that a check dam built by the forest department in 1995 in the MekKal Porumboke land/Forest department which has already destroyed by the SIPCOT. This is going to affect water security. Of 7 lakes, three have been closed by SIPCOT according to the villagers of Thervoy Kandigai who were met in the last week of April. THAT IS EARLIER SCHEMES OF GOVERNMENT ARE BEING ERODED BY THE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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