From pankajs@VSNL.COM Sun Dec 14 14:10:30 2003
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 12:38:59 +0530
From: Pankaj Sekhsaria 
To: nathistory-india@Princeton.EDU
Subject: Chemical spell in Gulf of Kutch Marine NP

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Chemical spill inside Gulf of Kutch Marine NP; guilty Tata Chemicals gets
conditional approval to continue.

(Source: 'Chemical spill affects marine life in Jamnagar',
www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 22/10/03
'Four held in Tata Chemicals leakage case', www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com,
25/10/03
'Tata Chemicals plant to reopen', www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 31/10/03)

A spill from the Tata Chemical's factory in Mithapur is reported to have
impacted plant and animal life inside the Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park
in October. Tata Chemicals officials admitted that there was an 'accidental
spill' of calcium chloride into sector four and the sanctuary area. After
processing soda ash, waste water is released into the settling pond where
solid waste settles. The remaining water is released into the sea. On this
occasion the earthen pond suddenly cracked dispensing the slurry, comprising
water and solid waste into the waters of the national park.
Initial reports suggested that 62 hectares of the park and about 1500
mangrove plants were damaged. Due to the calcium deposit, some parts of the
land too have been permanently lost Apart from the mangroves damage is also
expected to the benthic species, deep in the sea. The forest department
estimates also suggest that while the three lakh tonne slurry may have
travelled to as wide an area as four km, nearly 150 acres of land too has
been directly affected. It has collected both soil and mangrove samples and
sent these for laboratory testing at the Gujarat Pollution Control Board
(GPCB).
This incident has come within three years of a salt brine spill which had a
severe impact on the mangrove forest within the park. Company officials
suggested that the break might have been caused by some seismic activity,
but forest officials have disagreed with this.
Four employees of the plant, including a manager were arrested on charges of
alleged negligence. They were later released on bail. The GPCB also ordered
the closure of the company's soda ash (washing soda) manufacturing plant
following this incident Subsequently, less than a week later, the Gujarat
Government gave conditional approval to restart the plant
The decision was taken on the ground that the plant officials would clean up
all the slurry waste and also fully comply with all the safety measures in
future. The company has also agreed to build a new pond, with a
cement-concrete wall surrounding it
This apart, the Tata Chemicals has approached the Coast Guard and the
Goa-based National Oceanographic Institute to find out the exact nature of
the damage done to the MNP and take all the remedial measures in future.
C/o Kalpavriksh
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