Press Release: “Unilever’s Proposed Cleanup Not Ecologically Acceptable
Click here for Tamil Press Release Unilever should clean up its mercury contaminated site in Kodaikanal to “a stringent standard at par with ecological sensitivities,” said scientists, including two former Supreme Court Monitoring Committee (SCMC) members Dr. Dilip Boralkar and Dr. Claude Alvares. Releasing a letter written by the duo to the Tamil Nadu Pollution […]
Press Release: Unilever is a million days off the mark on Kodaikanal
23 August 2015 | Chennai, India Paul Polman’s claims that Kodaikanal lake cannot be polluted as mercury’s half life in soil is “just 60 days” is proof of Unilever’s unscientific and manipulative approach to a very serious environmental problem, said the Chennai Solidarity Group for Justice in Kodaikanal . “Mercury’s half life in soil is […]
Press Release: Activists Don’t Trust Unilever; Urge TNPCB to Undertake Study
CHENNAI — Welcoming the press release by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board that the delay is caused by Unilever and not the TNPCB, activists with Chennai Solidarity Group urged TNPCB to ensure that the Detailed Project Report is commissioned by the Board and not Unilever. “This is what would be in line with the […]
TNPCB Press release: Clarifies current status of cleanup
Download Press Release 10-Aug-2015, Chennai In the Hindu dated 6th August 2015, it was reported that ‘Unilever ready to clean up premises at Kodaikanal. Seeks consent of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board’. This aspect appeared in other news papers subsequently. In this matter, TNPCB issues the following Press Release as clarification of the current status. M/s. […]
PRESS RELEASE: Activists Slam Unilever for Environmental Double-standards; Unilever Pushing TNPCB to Dilute Clean up Standard
While welcoming Unilever CEO Paul Polman’s tweet expressing his determination to address the issues in Kodaikanal, Chennai Solidarity Group said Unilever needs to shed its double standards with respect to environmental remediation for the matter to be resolved expeditiously. Unilever is putting pressure on Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to approve contaminated soil clean-up […]
PRESS RELEASE: Unilever Trots Out Dubious Science to Protect its Health
Calling the clarifications posted by Hindustan Unilever (HUL) on its website a “rehashed” bunkum, activists working in support of ex-mercury workers and Kodaikanal residents have asked the company to offer something that would make people believe they are truly interested in resolving this issue. The organisations have said that Unilever’s dilatory tactics in addressing environmental […]
Unilever CEO remains silent while hundreds of thousands of people share a music video exposing Unilever’s toxic inaction.
Public mobilisation group Jhatkaa.org, ex-mercury workers association, and the Chennai Solidarity Group question Unilever CEO Paul Polman’s silence after a rap video went viral calling out his company’s mercury contamination of Kodaikanal. The organisations urged Polman and Hindustan Unilever CEO and Managing Director Sanjiv Mehta to initiate immediate action. 1 August, 2015. BANGALORE/CHENNAI Within two […]
Press Release: Online Music Video Calls Unilever’s Bluff on Social Responsibility
Having reached its target of 5000 signatures in less than a week, a petition hosted by online campaigning platform Jhatkaa.org urging Unilever to settle the company’s mercury-related liabilities in Kodaikanal got a major boost today with the launch of a music video titled “Kodaikanal won’t. . .” Written by Chennai-born rapper Sofia Ashraf and set to Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda,” this song is being used by social activists to expose Unilever’s claims to responsibility as hypocritical.
Mercury-affected Workers Protest at Hindustan Unilever AGM
29 June, 2015. MUMBAI — Ex-workers and children affected by mercury pollution from Hindustan Unilever’s mercury thermometer factory in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, demonstrated outside the company’s AGM in Mumbai to tell shareholders about their company’s failure to clean up mercury pollution and compensate affected people. Meanwhile, shareholders concerned about the issue raised questions inside the […]
Unilever Factory Leaks Toxic Mercury into Watershed Forest
Analysis of Lichen, Moss and Sediment Samples around the premises of Hindustan Unilever’s Mercury Thermometer Factory in Kodaikanal – Download report CHENNAI – A new study has found high levels of toxic mercury in vegetation and sediment collected from the vicinity of Unilever’s now-closed mercury thermometer factory in Kodaikanal. The study confirms that Unilever’s contaminated […]
Unilever’s Kodai Pollution Is a Case to Evolve Policy for Clean Up, Compensation
16 May, 2015. CHENNAI — Prompted by the lingering legacy of mercury pollution by Hindustan Unilever’s now-closed mercury thermometer factory in Kodaikanal, social activists and policy advocacy groups in Chennai have called for a national policy for cleaning up polluted sites and compensating people affected by pollution. The call was made at a panel discussion […]
NEERI, TNPCB in Bed with Polluter: Kodai Residents Allege
8 March, 2010. CHENNAI: The Tamilnadu Alliance Against Mercury – a coalition of Kodaikanal residents and organisations, and other environmental organisations – has called for an enquiry on Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute based on RTI documents that indicate that these agencies have colluded with Hindustan Unilever in downgrading […]
Mercury Affected Children and Ex-workers From Kodaikanal Protest Outside the AGM of HLL
Mumbai, 18 May 2007: Ex Workers and their children from the Hindustan Lever (HLL) mercury thermometer factory in Kodaikanal along with their supporters in Mumbai today protested outside the venue of the Annual General Meting (AGM) of HLL demanding accountability form the company. Eleven ex-workers exposed to toxic mercury (representing about 500 affected workers) highlighted […]
Hindustan Lever profits from Poison
Mercury Affected Children From Kodaikanal Urge HLL Shareholders to Demand Responsibility Along with Profits from the Company Mumbai, 17 May 2007: Ex Workers and their children from the Hindustan Lever (HLL) mercury thermometer factory in Kodaikanal today addressed a press conference urging the shareholders of HLL to raise the issues of mercury contamination and long term […]
Ex-Mercury workers protest death of their co-worker; demand HLL to accept liability
Kodaikanal/ Chennai: More than 500 residents, mostly ex-workers of a Hindustan Lever mercury thermometer factory in Kodaikanal staged a ‘salai marial’ (road blockade) at Moonjikal, Kodaikanal, today protesting the death of 47-year old P. Natarajan, an ex-worker of the factory. Ex-workers said numerous workers were exposed to toxic mercury because of unsafe working conditions and […]