Workers digging to widen a drainage near Punnakkatt lane behind Edappally railway station discovered soil with a surprise magenta color. Locals were used to this unusual hue, which comes from residues left by Mangalam Dyes and Chemicals and Southern Organic Chemicals. These units closed 44 years ago but left dangerous waste in the soil. The companies, started by M.I. Itty, a PhD-organic chemist, in the early 1970s were shut down by the Kerala High Court in 1982 after becoming insolvent. They produced Rhodamine-B, a fluorescent dye used in textiles, leather, and cosmetics. Local resident and former employee P.V. Surendran said, "We were all excited when the unit was launched in our area as it brought us jobs. It took a few years for us to realise we were dealing with hazardous chemicals though we had been given safety gears. When two families in the vicinity dug up wells in their compounds, the water turned out to be reddish. The company then provided water supply connection to them. At least four families had to fill their wells after the water became contaminated." Surendran himself suffered a skin condition linked by doctors to chemical exposure. The company’s waste was stored on a cement platform to dry and solidify, likely seeping into the soil over time. Internationally, including in the US, Rhodamine B is banned for use in food as it poses health risks. P.K. Baburajan, Chief Engineer of the Pollution Control Board in Ernakulam, said no complaints about the chemical presence have been officially filed so far. Ajith Haridas, former Kerala Pollution Control Board chairman, warned, "If the site is found to be contaminated, then the soil has to be dug out and disposed as per the remediation protocol." This magenta legacy poses a risk that might need urgent attention.