Amidst the seemingly pristine beauty of Tamil Nadu's Kodaikanal hills and valleys, lies a murky reality that only local residents and ex-workers of a now closed mercury thermometer factory know. Although the Unilever factory was shut down in 2001, the local residents around the area continue to suffer various health hazards as a result of living in close proximity to a toxic mercury dumpsite established by the factory in Moonjikal, while it was still operational.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can damage the brain and cause birth defects. It builds up to dangerous levels once it enters the aquatic food chain, and can return to haunt human consumers of contaminated fish. Reportedly, with every passing rain, toxic mercury from the contaminated factory site is being washed into the Pambar Shola Reserve Forest. The forest forms the catchment for the Pambar river, which empties into the Vaigai river's reservoir in the plains.
Unilever is one of the world's largest multinational companies, and owns popular brands such as Pepsodent, Dove soap, Pond's cream, Fair and Lovely, and Axe.With the functioning of the previously operational mercury thermometer factory, the company was responsible for discharging mercury waste into the Pambar Shola forests, as well as on Unilever factory grounds in a crowded part of Moonjikal.
According to activists, hundreds of factory workers were exposed to mercury, and more than 45 workers have died prematurely, while several children born to exposed workers have also failed to survive. Many more ex-workers have severe ailments such as damaged brains, birth defects, compromised kidneys and hearts, and learning disabilities.
For 14 long years, the ex-workers have struggled to make Unilever clean up the contaminated areas. They have also consistently requested for compensation as well as rehabilitation for children and workers affected by mercury, but all to no avail.
Unilever spends $8 billion annually to market itself as an environmentally and socially responsible business that cares for its workers. In reality however, activists assert that Unilever is no different from Union Carbide whichabandoned the victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, and refused to clean up the contaminated factory site. As eminent legal scholar Dr. Usha Ramanathan despairingly states: "Companies like (Unilever) have literally walked away with murder."
Unilever CEO Paul Polman exhorts other corporate CEOs to behave responsibly. It's time we began exhorting him to do so. Sign the petition for justice in Kodaikanal. http://www.jhatkaa.org/unilever/
