TNSHRC: Rights body got it wrong

Published in The New Indian Express, on June 23, 2010:

CHENNAI: A recent order passed by the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (TNSHRC), directing the Chennai District Collector and the Corporation Commissioner to file a report about groundwater contamination in West Mogappair has surprised many. The reason? The commission has demanded an explanation from two bodies for pollution in an area that doesn't fall under their jurisdiction.

On Sunday, residents of West Mogappair staged a road roko, complaining of contamination of well water in their area, alleging seepage of gasoline from a fuel station nearby. The TNSHRC took suo motu cognizance of the issue and directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board chairman, the Chennai District Collector and the Chennai Corporation Commissioner to file a report within three days.

The region, however, isn't part of the City Corporation; nor does it fall under the Chennai district. West Mogappair is an area under the Nolambur village panchayat, as part of the Tiruvallur district.

A source in the Chennai Collectorate confirmed that it was not part of its jurisdiction. AR Selvakumar, member, SHRC, who passed the order along with SHRC chairman Justice AS Venkatachalamoorthy, said the commission would revisit the issue, as it was not aware of the jurisdiction issue.

ORIGINAL STORY:
Residents complain of petrol seepage into wells
Published on June 22, 2010:
CHENNAI: While more than 600 families living behind a petrol filling station at Fourth Block in Mogappair West complained that gasoline (from the fuel outlet) had seeped into their wells and rendered water unfit for consumption, officials of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) strongly denied the allegation, saying leakage from the storage tank was not possible.

The residents claimed they had knocked various doors, including the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Chief Minister's Special Cell and Nolumbur village panchayat, about the seepage since the past six months, but no concrete action had been taken.
On Sunday, the residents resorted to a road roko seeking immediate solution to their water problems. However, the local police pacified them and promised immediate action. On Monday, local officials lifted water samples from the contaminated wells for tests.
According to the locals, the wells were the sole source of water for the entire locality.

When an Express team visited the area, residents showed the wells that had a thin film of petroleum products floating on the water surface.

Though the residents contended that the contaminant was petrol from the nearby fuel station, petrol outlet in charge Ramesh gave it a different twist. "Ever since the petrol bunk was planned here in 2007, local residents have objected to it. The claims of seepage could be motivated," Ramesh told Express. IOC officials inspected the filling station and enquired about the whole issue.
"We have checked the last one year's stock chart of the filling station. It did not show any such loss due to seepage," the officials said.
Speaking to Express, T Varaprasada Rao, IOC's chief divisional retails sales manager, said, "Seepage of oil from the storage tank to the ground is not at all possible due to its method of construction."
A similar problem (leakage) was reported during May last year from the same filling station. There was a pipeline leak.But it was arrested well before (few days) any resident could lodge a complaint, he added.
However, he could not rule out the possibility of last year's seepage reaching the wells in the last few months.