THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fingers are being pointed at state-run Travancore Titanium Products Ltd (TTP) for the poor upkeep of the glass furnace pipe which burst, causing the oil spill near the shoreline at Veli here on Wednesday. The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on Thursday directed the firm to close down operations and seal the discharge point until the company deals with the damage caused by the spill and the KSPCB completes its inquiry. The industries department too has formed a three-member committee to study the environmental impact of the spill and prevent similar incidents in future.
The 75-year-old company will have to take statutory permissions from the KSPCB, the industries department and the factories and boilers department to restart operations. “We will check whether the company carried out proper maintenance. Further action will be taken after the inspection,” said KSPCB chairperson Pradeep Kumar A B.
