Debris from a closed dye manufacturing unit left in the soil at Punnakkatt Street near Edappally railway station in Kochi. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Workers involved in the expansion of sewerage along the Punnakkatt lane behind Edappally railway station got a surprise here recently when the soil turned out to be somewhat purplish while digging the earth. However, the local residents were not too surprised. They had long since seen that shade across the land and even in their waters. The color comes from residues left behind by a dye manufacturing unit that closed 44 years ago.
The residue left intact in the soil around the site where Mangalam Dyes and Chemicals and its allied unit Southern Organic Chemicals operated could pose a risk to public health and the environment, according to the experience of residents in the area. Founded by the late MI Itty of Kottayam, who had a PhD in organic chemistry, in the early 1970s, the companies were wound up by the Kerala High Court in 1982 after he became insolvent. The unit produced Rhodamine-B, a fluorescent dye used mainly in the textile, leather and cosmetics industries.
“We were all excited when the unit was started in our area because it brought us jobs. It took several years before we realized that we were dealing with dangerous chemicals, although we were given safety equipment. When two families nearby dug wells in their compounds, the water was reddish. The company then provided them with a water connection. At least four families had to fill their wells after the water 1 Surendran shut off and became contaminated the company’s lives after 12 years of PV operations and contaminated lives, he said.Most families in the area had long been dependent on water supplied by the Kerala Water Authority.Mr Surendran developed a serious skin condition a few years ago, which his dermatologists believe may have been caused by exposure to chemicals he handled at the plant.
Water flowing through a drain in Punnakkatt lane near Edappally railway station is mixing with residue from a dyeing unit that remains in the soil in the area even 44 years after the factory closed. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
He said the thick liquid waste generated from the company used to be stored in a cement platform to dry and solidify. “I think it must have been absorbed into the soil,” he said.
Several countries, including the US, have regulated the use of rhodamine B, recognizing its potential dangers. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long banned its use in food products, classifying it as unsafe for human consumption.
PK Baburajan, Chief Engineer, Pollution Control Board, Ernakulam, said the government agency has not yet received any complaint about the alleged presence of the hazardous chemical on the ground in the area.
Ajith Haridas, former chairman, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, called the presence of a soluble substance, allegedly toxic, in the soil “not a good sign”. “If the site is found to be contaminated, the soil must be excavated and disposed of according to the remediation protocol,” he said.
Published – 23 Jan 2026 07:07 IST
