Activists raise concern over TNPCB not having access to industry emissions data

Ennore resident's struggle to access TNPCB's OCEMS data reveals gaps in industry emissions monitoring system.

An Ennore resident’s vain attempt to access the online continuous effluent/emission monitoring system (OCEMS) maintained by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) for nearly six months has spotlighted gaps in the monitoring of emissions from industries.

R.L. Srinivasan of Kattukuppam in Ennore had been trying to access the OCEMS data of thermal power plants, Ashok Leyland- Foundry Division, Hinduja Foundries in Ennore region since January 2024. However, for at least six months now, it has not been available online on the TNPCB’s website — Care Air Centre — Air Quality Watch.

When a copy of the OCEMS data of industries in north Chennai was requested by Durga Moorthy, a volunteer with the Save Ennore Creek campaign, through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, no data was received. The RTI response stated that as per government protocol, the server was being shifted to the Tamil Nadu State Data Centre, Perungudi, and the live data for this period was not available.

Speaking to The Hindu, TNPCB Member Secretary R. Kannan said there had been some technical issues with the shifting of servers to the data centre. “Many service providers are involved. Some have done it, we are pursuing the others to complete the move. The work will be done soon,” he said.

Mr. Srinivasan contended that although the server was being shifted, the TNPCB ought to have access to the monitoring data in some form as it was mandated to take regulatory action through auto-generated alerts, emails, or physical investigations against any industry in Tamil Nadu.

After Ms. Moorthy appealed to the appellate authority, it came to be known that the Care Air Centre data was not accessible by the TNPCB since November 2023. “The companies might have stacked emissions data. In case of emergencies, the TNPCB will get stack emissions from those companies. But the data is not accessible by the TNPCB till June 2024,” the authority was told. “This raises clear suspicion of whether the TNPCB is even continuing the mandated real-time monitoring of all industries in Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Srinivasan said.

Besides requesting for emissions data of industries in Ennore, Mr. Srinivasan has called for a probe into whether the TNPCB has access to OCEMS data of all industries in the State, and if it monitors industries based on the data.