No long-term environmental harm in Ennore due to CPCL oil spill, says Union govt.-OxBig News Network

Fishermen seen removing oil from the wetlands of Ennore-Manali in the aftermath of the oil spill in December 2023. File
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Friday (December 20, 2024) said that Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) had taken significant steps to address the environmental damage caused by the oil spill in Ennore, in December 2023.  

In response to a question raised by Lok Sabha MP Dayanidhi Maran, Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, stated that CPCL has installed permanent booms along the Buckingham Canal to contain any potential oil spread in the future. He said that an Environmental Impact Assessment by The Energy and Resources Institute found no significant long-term environmental damage due to the incident. 

Mr. Maran’s questions included actions being taken by CPCL to restore the affected ecosystems, particularly the mangroves and wetlands, and whether the company had a disaster management plan in place to prevent such incidents in the future. He also sought clarification on CPCL’s transparency in the remediation process and whether it had complied with the directives issued by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the National Green Tribunal (NGT). 

As per the response, CPCL has complied with the directives issued by the TNPCB, including installation of an Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (OCEMS) at various locations within its operations to ensure pollutants are kept in check. This system monitors key pollutant parameters, including pH, Total Suspended Solids, Total Dissolved Solids, and oil grease, at the outlet of stormwater ponds.  

CPCL, in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu government, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, and the TNPCB, has undertaken various restoration activities, Mr. Gopi said. These include the use of herbal nano bio-dispersants for bioremediation of mangrove areas, based on advice from the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa. The company has been providing daily updates to State authorities, and the comprehensive EIA concluded there was no significant environmental impact from the spill. 

Updated disaster management framework 

CPCL has a comprehensive Emergency Response and Disaster Management Plan (ERDMP), which was revised in 2024, aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future. As part of efforts to address socio-economic damage, CPCL deposited ₹7.53 crore in compensation, as directed by the Tamil Nadu Revenue Administration. However, a show-cause notice was issued to CPCL by the TNPCB in November 2024, and the matter is currently under review by the NGT.