IOC cleans up Mini river
Vadodara   14-Nov-2011

IndianOil (IOC) has cleaned up the oil sludge from Mini river on the outskirts of the city under the supervision of Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB). The state pollution watchdog has also asked the public sector unit (PSU) to stop releasing effluents through the storm water drain that flows into the river. But after IOC told GPCB that it has not caused pollution in the river, the locals are wondering who polluted the river.

IOC had some days back replied to the GPCB notice asking the PSU why it shouldn't shut down some of its operations. The notice came on the heels of fire in Mini River that was caused by oil sludge. GPCB blamed IOC's Gujarat Refinery plant for the sludge. IOC however said that it has not released any sludge in the river. The GPCB is now studying the reply and planning for further course of action.

"We have received the reply from IOC and they have said that they haven't caused any pollution. But, our assessment says that the oil sludge found from the Mini River was of IOC. We have samples of the effluents. Our head office will take necessary action within few days," said GPCB regional director R B Trivedi.

"As of now the PSU has cleaned up the river and it is also doing remediation of the area that was polluted," Trivedi added. Environment activist Rohit Prajapati said, "GPCB can take strict action if it finds that the PSU has indeed caused pollution. The board has authority to issue closure notice too but it will not take that strict action. I think that the state government is in favour of industries and hence any severe action may hurt the investment cause."

Prajapati too has samples of the effluents and he said that he too is going to raise the issue with the authorities in coming days. Huge flames had erupted from the Mini River about 10 days back spreading panic in the adjacent villages.