A new year has dawned but residents of Ennore and Manali continue to voice out their age-old problems relating to livelihood loss and health concerns due to industrial effluents.
While protests against Coromandel International Limited have been ongoing since December 27, a day after ammonia gas leaked from the pipelines of the fertilizer unit, around 20 women spoke about the impact of toxic fumes and contaminated water on their health on Monday in a public hearing chaired by retired Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, K. Kannan, and a panel comprising advocate D. Nagasaila, professor Kalpana Karunakaran, labour activist Vaishnavi, and journalist Kavitha Muralidharan.
“Children up to the age of five have breathing troubles. For some, this turns into asthma. Every doctor we take them to say it is a lung problem, and it is because we live in an industrial area. The effluents let into the water cause diarrhoea,” said Vadivukkarasi, a resident of Valluvar Nagar, in the hearing organised by Ennore People’s Protection Group.
Besides respiratory and skin infections, women live with an added health concern. “Many of us here have fertility issues. I spent ₹3.5 lakhs for fertility treatment. Take a survey, you will find 10 to 15 families without a child or with cancer patients,” said Lalitha, of V.O.C. Nagar.
Rizwana, a medical student and resident of Mugadwarakuppam, said it was very common for people from Ennore to have thoracic diseases. She added that many women have polycystic ovary syndrome because of the poor lifestyle and unclean air.
Nearly a dozen residents who spoke at the meeting called for a health survey in the area. In a media briefing following the meeting, Mr. Kannan said from people’s concerns, it is understood that a survey of the residents of the area, and especially children, was imperative. The panel will make a list of recommendations and submit it to the State government.
According to residents, a police case has been registered against 18 protestors. Condemning this, the panellists said the case should be withdrawn. During incidents, such as an oil spill or a gas leak, a company representative must address the people and allay their fears about the disaster, Mr. Kannan said.
