44 years later, the polluting colors from the closed paint factory still remain underground in Kochi

Workers working on widening a drainage along Punnakkatt Lane behind Edappally Railway Station recently encountered a surprise when the soil turned out to be a slightly magenta color while digging. However, residents of the area were not very surprised. They had long ago seen the hue all over the ground and even in their waters. The color came from the residue left behind at a paint factory that closed 44 years ago.

The residues that remain intact in the soil around the site where Mangalam Dyes and Chemicals and its allied Southern Organic Chemicals unit operated could pose a risk to public health and the environment, based on the experiences of residents in the area. The companies, founded by the late MI Itty of Kottayam, who had a PhD in organic chemistry, were liquidated by the Kerala High Court in 1982 in the early 1970s after going bankrupt. The unit produced Rhodamine-B, a fluorescent dye mainly used in the textile, leather and cosmetics industries.

“We were all excited when the unit was launched in our area as it gave us jobs. It took us a few years to realize that we were dealing with hazardous chemicals even though we had been provided with safety equipment. When two families in the area dug wells in their plots, the water turned out to be reddish. The company then provided the water supply. At least four families had to fill their wells after the water became contaminated,” said PV Surendran, who has worked in the company for 12 years and lives close to the property. said. Most families in the area have been dependent on the water supply from the Kerala Water Authority for a long time. Mr. Surendran developed a serious skin condition a few years ago that his dermatologists suspect may have been caused by exposure to the chemicals he handled at the factory.

He said the thick liquid waste generated by the company used to be stored in a cement platform for drying and solidification. “I suspect it was absorbed into the ground,” he said.

Several countries, including the US, have regulated the use of Rhodamine B, recognizing its potential dangers. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long banned its use in food products, classifying it as unsafe for human consumption.

PK Baburajan, chief engineer, Pollution Control Board, Ernakulam, said the government agency has not yet received any complaints about the alleged presence of the hazardous chemical on the ground in the area.

Ajith Haridas, former chairman of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, termed the presence of the soluble substance, reportedly toxic, in the soil as “not a good sign”. “If the site is found to be contaminated, the soil must be excavated and disposed of according to the remediation protocol,” he said.