Remember Bhopal;

Fight for Cuddalore

Youth on Cycles for Cuddalore – 28 November to 2 December

Cuddalore is another Bhopal in the making. Youth from Chennai, Cuddalore and Mettur will cycle from Cuddalore to Chennai to raise awareness about the environmental issues confronting residents of SIPCOT, Cuddalore, and highlight the threats of pollution-intensive industrialization facing Cuddalore. The cycle tour will travel through the coastal areas of Cuddalore, Pondicherry and parts of Kanchipuram and Chennai districts, and through the inland areas along GST Road. Kindly extend your support to the cycle tour by organizing solidarity activities en route.

Distance to be covered – 280 km

Route and Schedule

28 November: Flag Off from Cuddalore Town. (Route: Old Town, Pachaiyankuppam, Thaikal, CUSECS 6, Rajapettai, Chitrapettai, Naduthittu, Thyagavelli, Thiruchopuram, Periyakuppam, Tamanampettai, Ayyampettai, Poochimedu, Periyapattu, Cuddalore Town). Film screening: Chitrapettai, Thyagavelli, Periyapattu. Night Halt: Periyapattu

29 November: Periyapattu to Sonnanchavadi, Semmankuppam, Sangolikuppam, Eachangadu, Kudikadu, Devanampattinam, Thazhanguda, Pondicherry. Film screening/Night Halt: Pondicherry

30 November: Pondy to Marakkanam, Tindivanam. Film screening/Night halt: Tindivanam

1 December: Tindivanam to Madurantakam, Chengalpattu. Film screening/Night halt: Chengalpattu

2 December: Chengalpattu to Kovalam, Besant Nagar. Film screening: Besant Nagar

Background: December 3 is the 22^nd anniversary of the 1984 Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal. In the lead-up to the anniversary of the world’s worst industrial disaster, the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (Chennai) and its supporters wish to highlight Cuddalore as a Bhopal in our own backyard.

The Tamilnadu Government has earmarked coastal Cuddalore for locating the dirtiest, most hazardous industries in Tamilnadu. Already, an 8 km stretch of the district – the SIPCOT industrial estate -- is seriously affected by pollution from more than 19 chemical industries. The State Human Rights Commission and the Indian People’s Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights have observed that SIPCOT residents are already overburdened with pollution. They have recommended against setting up any more chemical industries in the area.

Despite massive public protest and the recommendations of various expert agencies, the Tamilnadu Government is planning to intensify pollution in and around SIPCOT. In the pipeline, are the following proposals:

1. Chemplast PVC factory and marine terminal, and desalination plant, Semmankuppam and Chitrapettai
2. 4000MW coal-fired thermal power plant, Naduthittu
3. A mega textile park, Periyapattu
4. A 6 million tones per annum petrochemical refinery by Nagarjuna, Thyagavelli
5. Effluents pumped into sea from Tiruppur textile dyeing units
6. Effluents pumped into sea from Ambur-Vaniyambadi leather tanneries
7. A shipbuilding yard

For more information on Bhopal and Cuddalore

Email - nopvcever@gmail.com

Visit:
www.sipcotcuddalore.com

http://cuddaloreonline.blogspot.com

www.bhopal.net

Issued by:

SIPCOT Area Community Environmental Monitoring, Cuddalore District Consumer Protection Organisation, DEPORT, Youth for Social Change, The Other Media

c/o 42A, 1^st Floor, 5^th Avenue, Besant Nagar, Chennai 600 090