CHENNAI: Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports on a suspected chemical gas leak near Chennai Port on June 2 that polluted the air around the Tamil Nadu Secretariat and other key government establishments in Chennai, the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), Chennai Port Authority and the Chennai district collector to submit detailed explanations on the incident.
According to reports, a dense white plume engulfed parts of Kamarajar Salai and the parking area opposite the Secretariat around 12.15 pm on June 2. The incident affected the vicinity of the Secretariat, Reserve Bank of India and the Madras High Court, with several commuters and members of the public complaining of coughing, eye irritation and breathing discomfort.
Preliminary findings indicated that the emission may have originated from sulphur stockpiles inside the Chennai Port premises, which could have undergone a chemical reaction due to extreme summer heat and caught fire. Another possibility under investigation is a leak from a container stored within the port.
Authorities managed to bring the situation under control after nearly an hour of emergency response operations, following which the leak was reportedly contained.
Based on newspaper reports highlighting the incident, the NGT took suo motu cognisance of the matter and initiated proceedings.
A bench comprising Judicial Member Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and Expert Member Prashant Karhade directed the TNPCB, Chennai Port Authority and the Chennai District Collector to file their responses and provide details regarding the cause of the incident, its environmental impact and the measures taken to prevent a recurrence.