Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has accused Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) in a case in the Green Tribunal that the oil mixed with the flood water in the Ennore area in Chennai was “not a natural disaster but a man-made disaster”.
According to the interim report filed by the Pollution Control Board, the oil spill has exited from the south gate of the CPCL. Water samples have been taken from Manali, Kodunkaiyur, and other areas and sent for analysis. Water from Poondi and Puzhal lakes seeped into the CPCL premises and the water level rose, resulting in an oil spill, the state govt submitted before the Green tribunal.
Based on the report, the state govt further said “Immediately thereafter, on December 8, all oil companies, including CPCL, were ordered not to discharge oil. The oil spill has spread 11 km from Buckingham Canal. The nearby Toshiba Oil Company of CPCL is also not handling the waste properly. An investigation is being conducted in this regard. “An appropriate action will be taken if there was a mistake,” the govt said.