Courtesy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB8VSyEU-VU
This video invites your attention to a tyre-retreading factory “Santhosh tyre works”, near “Beena Industries”. It’s along side Kannur Road and is in a posh locality of the city. Exactly opposite to the proud campus of Malabar Christian College and within walk able limits of Providence Girls High School, the location is highly populated with renowned and learnt personalities.
This video has been recorded by Dr. Shalen Mathur, himself an advocate, staying adjacent to this industry with his mother, who herself is also well versed in Law.
According to Advocate Jayarani, she had already exhausted innumerable ways to seek solution to this problem of “air and water pollution”, which she believes is causing tremendous breathing problems for her. Local media had also reported the issue, she said.
An Environment Impact Assessment may be initiated at least as a student’s field level research project to encompass and gather requisite details on the nature and composition of emissions and rule out or track the pollutants.
For this generation of primary data, like the type of industry, owner, period of operation, employee details, products generated and its usage, difficulties experienced by the inhabitants in the vicinity....has to be collected. This can also encompass guidance from local bodies and pollution control board, etc.
The present video needs to be upgraded with clear depictions on the location, response from other locals and all concerned.
There are many well versed environmentalists within Calicut city itself, like Dr.A.Achuthan, Dr.Shobeendran, Prof.Unnikrishna Nambeesan, etc; on State level like Prof.M.K.Prasad, Sugathakumari teacher, Dr.R.V.G.Menon and so on… You can also forward a copy of the same to eminent environmentalists like Dr.Vandhana Shiva, Smt. Medha Patkar, Smt. Arundati Roy,... for further guidance.
Various organisations like CSE (Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi), CEE (Centre for Environmental Education, Ahmedabad), IIEE (Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment), KSSP (Sastra Sahitya Parishad), SPEK (Society for Protection of Environment, Kerala)and many other NGOs are also working on similar lines.
Let us optimistically hope that an elite researcher would consider this as a challenging project for EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and in-depth study and scientific assessment at least as a commitment to clarify the doubts raised by the presenter. Simultaneously, let an enthusiastic media team does the follow up for adequate awareness creation and opinion generation. After the detailed study, feasibility of this industry in this thickly populated area that too in the vicinity of educational institutions can be assessed and emission control measures required, if any, recommended for adoption.
Elected office bearers of the locality who are already aware on the issue may take the lead and resolve the issue in a smooth manner or facilitate formation of a local action council pooling caliber of eminent personalities in the neighbourhood, if it is so necessary.
