Demanding strong action against the Hindustan Unilever for the mercury contamination caused in Kodaikanal, the VCK, CPI (M) and MDMK on Monday wanted the State government to initiate a thorough study of the hill station to ascertain the extent of damage.

Addressing reporters, CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan, said governments following neo-liberal policies tended to overlook the damage that many multi-national corporations caused to the environment and to the rights of the people.

The thermometer factory of HUL was an example of this. “The HUL has proposed a clean up standard that is 20 times higher than what exists in the United Kingdom. This is not acceptable,” he said.

VCK general secretary D. Ravikumar said the water sources in the region were also under threat.