HC: Notices to Centre, State on KMML pollution

KOCHI: The Kerala High court on Friday issued notices to Central and State government’s on a petition against the pollution caused by Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) in Kollam district.The petition was filed by D Suresh Kumar,  secretary, Polluted Area Welfare Society, seeking a directive to the KMML, Chavara, to take steps to prevent pollution being caused by it in and around the company and to stop its functioning till it abates the pollution. He also sought a directive to the KMML to restore the ecology and environment destroyed by it. The petitioner submitted that the company has destroyed the ecology within a radius of 10 kms. Toxic materials from the factory have contaminated all the wells used for drinking water in the area. “Vattakayal Lake, a big fresh water lake, about 5 kms away from the company, has become dead”- not a single living organism now exists in it.   The highest incidence of cancer, in probably the whole of India, was reported from here, the petitioner said.