TNPCB proposes ₹73-crore penalty on CPCL for damages caused by Ennore oil spill


An oil spill occurred from the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited refinery during Cyclone Michaung in December 2023.

An oil spill occurred from the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited refinery during Cyclone Michaung in December 2023.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has estimated a penalty of ₹73 crore for Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) for the damages caused by the Ennore oil spill that occurred during Cyclone Michaung in December 2023.

The TNPCB submitted this in a report before the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on Thursday as part of a suo motu case on the oil spill.

According to the report, a meeting was held on September 3 to review the oil spill impact assessment and bioremediation reports for the Ennore Creek area. The technical team constituted by the State government concluded that the total amount of oil spilled could be over 400 KL, based on data such as slop oil quantities, crude receipt amounts, and cleaning frequencies. 

The Indian Institute of Technology’s conservative estimate of the spill is 517 tonnes, which aligns closely with the team’s findings, the TNPCB said.

The TNPCB said, a team comprising R.Kannan, Member Secretary, TNPCB, G. Saravanan, Principal Scientist, Chennai Zonal Centre, CSIR-NEERI, H.D.Varalaxmi, Scientist-E and Regional Director, Central Pollution Control Board, V.T.Perarasu, professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Anna University computed the environmental damage and restitution costs, using a methodology from the research publication ‘Oil Spill and Cleanup Costs,’ by Cao Thi Thu Trang, Institute of Marine Environment and Resource, Vietnam.

Their calculation outlined the total clean up cost, including response costs, socioeconomic damages, and environmental costs. In this case, since CPCL conducted the clean up operations through specialised cleaning agencies, the response cost was computed to be nil.

The team arrived at a total cost of ₹73,68,00,906 (seventy-three crore sixty-eight lakh nine hundred and six), including ₹35,43,71,708 for socioeconomic damage and ₹38,24,29,198 for environmental damage due to the oil spill in December 2023.

Long-term strategies

Meanwhile, IIT-M submitted a report outlining long-term strategies for preventing and remediating oil spills. 

The recommendations, include elevating oil sludge and slop oil storage tanks or constructing dykes to contain potential spills, which would help minimise contamination risks. Additionally, the report suggests installing containment systems or improving drainage infrastructure to prevent oil discharge from stormwater locations. 

To tackle heavy siltation and long-term oil contamination in the canal, dredging is advised to enhance water flow and reduce the risk of further contamination. Finally, the report emphasises the necessity of continuous monitoring of stormwater drains in the Ennore industrial area to prevent and track industrial contamination.

The bench has scheduled the matter for January 4, 2025, for the filing of responses by other parties.



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