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Ameer Shahul
Indian environmentalist and author From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ameer Shahul is an Indian author and environmentalist who is known for his work against Unilever in Kodaikanal mercury poisoning. His first non-fiction book titled Heavy Metal: How a Global Corporation Poisoned Kodaikanal was published by Pan Macmillan in 2023.[1] Heavy Metal won the '2024 Book of the Year' award from the Green Literature Festival, under the 'Green Business' category. [2] The book was longlisted for the prestigious Tata Literature Live! Literary Awards 2023 under the Best Non-Fiction First Book category. [3][4]
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Shahul worked with Greenpeace since 2002 on a campaign against mercury pollution by Unilever in Kodaikanal, industrial pollution committed by the FMCG company in the hill station of Tamil Nadu, known as Kodaikanal mercury poisoning.[5] He led the public affairs groups and ex-workers to force the company collect 290 tonnes of mercury waste disposed in and around the factory site and send back to the United States for permanent retirement in 2003.[6][7] Shahul along with campaigner Navroz Mody led environmental and local community groups in lobbying for remediation of the site,[8] and initiated an investigation by the Department of Atomic Energy of Government of India, which found that the mercury levels in the atmosphere of Kodaikanal was up to 2640 times more than normal conditions.[9][10][11] Shahul also led a team of activists and volunteers to spook the annual general body meeting of Hindustan Unilever in Mumbai in 2003 and 2004.[12]
He campaigned against the practices of ship breaking in Indian shores for hazardous waste disposal,[13][14] and against ground water exploitation and waste dumping by Coca-Cola in Kerala known as Plachimada Coca-Cola struggle.[15][16] He also brought to notice the worst incident of a state owned company continuing to manufacturing the globally banned DDT.[17]
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In 2023, Pan Macmillan published his book titled, Heavy Metal: How a Global Corporation Poisoned Kodaikanal.[18][19] Deccan Herald described the book as 'a blunt and bold account of a tragedy',[20] while Malayala Manorama termed it as the gripping take on an industrial tragedy, and of green resistance.[21] Business Line described the book as 'a good pointer to be on our guard and save the environment.'[22]
The Financial Express (India) called it a case study on corporate and regulatory failures,[23] while The New Indian Express described it as an exceptional book that offers a comprehensive and compelling account of not just the disaster, but also its aftermath.[24] The Indian Express described the book as a ‘crisp cinematic account of corporate greed and the struggle for justice in India.’[25] Open (Indian magazine) said ‘that it took Unilever more than 15 years to compensate affected workers is a reminder of the humongous costs of such mistakes’.[26]
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