No long-term environmental damage in Ennore due to CPCL oil spill, says Union Govt.

After the oil spill in December 2023, fishermen were seen scooping up oil from the Ennore-Manali wetlands. file Photo credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

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

In response to a question raised by Lok Sabha MP Dayanidhi Maran, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said CPCL has installed permanent booms in the Buckingham Canal to prevent any possible oil spill in the future. He said an environmental impact assessment by the Energy and Resources Institute found no long-term environmental damage from the incident.

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

According to the response, CPCL has followed the instructions issued by the TNPCB, including installing Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (OCEMS) at various locations to ensure that pollutants are kept under control. This system monitors key pollutant parameters including pH, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, and oil grease at the stormwater pond outlet.

CPCL has undertaken various rehabilitation activities in collaboration with Tamil Nadu Government, Tamil Nadu Forest Department and TNPCB, Mr. Gopi said. This includes 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 officials, and a comprehensive EIA concluded that there are no significant environmental impacts from the spill.

Updated disaster management framework

CPCL has a comprehensive Emergency Response and Disaster Management Plan (ERDMP), which was revised in 2024, to prevent similar incidents in future. As part of efforts to address socio-economic losses, 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.