Nemmeli desalination plant in Chennai kicks up a fresh row

Chennai:

Chennai Metro Water has hit out at allegations by environmental and rights activists who alleged that Metro water is dumping the brine from the Nemelli desalination plant directly on the beach instead of disposing it through the pipeline into the sea.
 
Chennai Metro Water spokesman said that the allegations by the activists under the umbrella of Chennai Solidarity Group that the highly saline reverse osmosis rejects are directly dumped on to the beach instead of disposing it through a pipeline as per its environmental license conditions is ‘absolutely false’.
 
“All the RO reject water is being disposed only through the reject pipeline diffuser system, which is about 600 metres from the shore and is designed for this purpose,” Metro Water said.
 
Metro Water said that some sea water which is not being used by plant is being let off into the sea only.  “This is not RO reject and is only sea water that is unused,” Metro Water said.  
 
Earlier, during the day, the group members lead by former bureaucrat L M Menezes, noted environmentalist Nityanand Jayaram, resident of the village Santosh, advocate P Sundararajan and president of People’s Union of Civil Liberties, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Prof Saraswathy alleged that the recharge of groundwater in the coastal area has been affected as Metro Water is discharging wastewater on to the beach. The fact-finding report alleged that Metro Water has violated the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act, 1986 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act by discharging the effluents on the beach and the eco-sensitive inter-tidal area.
 
Metro water also rejected that ground water in the area has turned saline and said that intrusion of salinity into ground water takes place only when there is ground water extraction from the aquifer over a long period of time. 
 
It also refuted the allegations that road-like structures constructed into the sea by Metrowater’s consultant V A Tech WABAG  to transport equipment had eroded the beach of Sulerikattukuppam resulting in the collapse of several community halls. “The break water structures that were created at the time of construction have been completely removed and as on date the beach has been formed to a width of 50 to 75 m and is continuously improving day by day.  As of now, there is no sea erosion and the beach is formed,” Metro water added.
 
Interestingly, the activists have urged Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to look into the allegations by the fact-finding team and demanded an enquiry by ministry of environment and forests and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
 
The activists have hit out at Metro water stating that instead of addressing the concerns of the villagers, Metro Water has sought police assistance to shut people up. The police too have responded in a one-sided manner in accepting and acting with great promptness and visciousness on the complaints by Metro Water. But metro water has denied the allegations. It said that it has taken all necessary steps to allay the apprehensions of the residents of Sulerikattukuppam, including carrying out shore protection works worth Rs one crore.
 
Box:

Fact finding report                                    

1. Metrowater’s Nemmeli Desalination Plant is dumping highly saline R.O. rejects directly on to the beach instead of disposing it through a pipeline as per its environmental license conditions.
 
Metro water reply:
It is absolutely false to say that RO rejects are not being disposed directly to sea. All the RO reject water is being disposed only through the reject pipeline as per the approved designs and norms. Some sea water which is not being used by plant is being let off into the sea only. This is not RO reject and is only sea water that is unused
 
Factfinding Report:
Nemmeli desalination plant which was set up to convert salt water to fresh water, has ended up converting fresh water to salt water.
 
Metro Water:
Intrusion of salinity into ground water takes place only when there is ground water extraction from the aquifer over a long period of time wherein nature is not able to replenish fresh water at the rate at which it is being extracted
 
Factfinding Report:
Road-like structures constructed into the sea by Metrowater’s consultant V.A.Tech WABAG  to transport equipment had eroded the beach of Sulerikattukuppam resulting in the collapse of several community halls.
 
Metro Water:
The break water structures that were created at the time of construction have been completely removed and as on date the beach has been formed to a width of 50 to 75 m and is continuously improving day by day.  As of now, there is no sea erosion and the beach is formed.  The boulders found at the edge of the hamlet were specifically placed there as part of hamlet shore protection works. 
 
Factfinding report:
Instead of addressing the concerns of the villagers, Metrowater has sought police assistance to shut people up
 
Metro Water:
Mischief elements of Sulerikattukuppam have been repeatedly and consistently interrupting the work at the plant. Villagers have disrupted the bathymetric survey, disrupted the construction of northern side break water and manhandled shift engineer.