Chennai: A day after advocate commissioner submitted the report on the state of Ennore creek, the southern bench of National Green Tribunal on Friday constituted a three-member committee for an in-depth report on various issues pertaining to the fly ash pollution here.
The proceedings are in connection with fly ash deposits by Tangedco units at Ennore creek. The report submitted by advocate commissioner, Lakshmi Narasimhan mentioned about deposits of fly ash and damage to ma-ngroves at Kosasthala-iyar river, which is rich in biodiversity.
The bench comprising Justice P Jyothimani and expert member P.S. Rao appointed the expert committee with soil biochemist Dr Sultan Ahmed Ismail, Biologist Dr D. Narasimhan and Professor Balaji Narasimhan, Water Resources Engin-eering, IIT-Madras. Executive Engineer of Pu-blic Works Department, K Elangovan and Retired Tangedco director Sampath Kumar would be assisting the team.
Expressing disappointment, the bench said the action taken by the Tangedco to clean the fly ash pollution is not ‘satisfactory’.
The advocate commissioner’s report had stated that fly ash deposits were to the height of half feet to five feet. The expert committee would find out the capacity and the current status of the ash ponds maintained by the Tangedco units. “The distribution of the unaccountable flyash and the status of the Kosasthalaiyar River need to be checked,” the bench said.
The committee is entrusted with reporting on the damage cau-sed to soil microorganisms, flora (including mangroves) and fauna, land-use change, imp-act on socio-economic status of river users, and suggesting remediation measures and methods.The committee was asked to submit its report by September 15 and the next hearing is posted to September 18.
