Relief of residents as removal of chemical-laced soil begins in village in Keralam

The removal of soil contaminated with chemical waste from wetlands, ponds, and low-lying plots in Eriyad panchayat began on Tuesday, offering relief to residents who have been living under mounting anxiety for months.

A few loads of the contaminated soil were removed on Tuesday. A meeting chaired by RDO P. Shibu decided to remove the entire material within two days. The cost of the operation will be borne by the landowners and the intermediaries who arranged the supply of the soil.

The hazardous chemical waste from the now defunct Binani Zinc Limited in Ernakulam district was illegally transported and dumped across private lands in Eriyad, a coastal village in Thrissur district a few months ago. Intermediaries had supplied this toxic material under the guise of regular soil to landowners for filling plots.