1. Site Visit for CEM By Jayanthi Natarajan Date of visit: July 12, 2012 Place of visit: Mettur, Salem Dt, Tamil Nadu

2. Met the following people: Shreela Manohar - CEM Mettur co-ordinator Piyesh Sethia - Founder Speak Out Salem Konur Village West Agricuture Development Union Matheswaran (Secretary)‏ Ganesan (Volunteer)

3. Discussion: CEM trains volunteers in taking samples and coordinates testing Report about Mettur pollution from those samples? Works closely with other organizations in organizing rallies, etc Pollutors Chemplast Sanmar (There are 5 units) - Recently built a new Thermal Plant without proper permission MALCO – Closed?

4. Chemplast Sanmar They have wells inside their property where waste chemicals are deposited. They seep into land affecting wells and bores around that area and also cultivation land. - MALCO - Red Mud waste pollution - Progress is not easy, constant fight with the companies, - Companies are watching the activists closely (any meetings by volunteers, monitors blogs) - There are defamation cases against these volunteers and aressts

5. Discussion: CEM trains volunteers in taking samples and coordinates testing Report about Mettur pollution from those samples? Works closely with other organizations in organizing rallies, etc Pollutors Chemplast Sanmar (There are 5 units) - Recently built a new Thermal Plant without proper permission MALCO - Closed

6. Places Visited P.N Patti Coal Yard Used by MALCO Konur Village Red Mud area and affected well water (Aluminum Ore waste)‏ Well water smells like chemical - very strong odor

7. Saralaikkadu Rain water with chemicals passes through this land and makes the land useless for cultivation.

8. Questions: (1) Why there is no mass participation? (2) Do the volunteers feel safe when they take up on large companies supported by govt officicals, politicians and police? (3) How do they move forward? Same action to keep companies to follow rules and laws Use new laws that are up-coming (4) Is the campaign in Cuddalore self-sustainable in the near future?

9. Chemplast side to the left vs MALCO side to the right