Chennai: Residents along OMR have urged the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to carry out a detailed investigation into the recurring “dead fish” odour and make the findings public.The smell surfaces in the evenings and is strongest between Tiruporur and Semmencheri. It briefly eased after TNPCB inspected a pharmaceutical unit at the SIDCO Industrial Estate in Alathur on July 15 and 16, but returned on July 29, residents said. “TNPCB inspected the plant after repeated complaints from residents’ welfare associations,” said Harsha Koda, co-founder of the Federation of OMR Resident Associations (FOMRRA). “We expect full transparency into the findings and strict regulatory action,” he said.Tiruporur MLA B Vijayaraj said that the TNPCB had submitted an initial report after its inspection last week. “I was not satisfied with it. I have asked them to do a detailed study. They can take the help of independent agencies and universities if required. After this, I will personally inspect the plants and even halt production temporarily if they are found to be at fault,” he said.Officials from the TNPCB did not provide a timeline for submission of the report. It’s chairman Anurag Mishra, however, said that the board will study the issue in detail, deploy mobile monitoring vans and inspect the plants regularly to find out the source. “It will take some time to pinpoint the issue. It will not be correct to assume that any one unit is at fault,” he added.Residents, however, said that the monitoring must be done after evening hours. “Last time when the issue surfaced, the mobile monitoring vans were deployed in the morning,” Harsha said.
