24 October 2008
Staff Reporter
THE HINDU
Tirupur: A public hearing conducted by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board here on Thursday to elicit views of the public on the establishment of 12 Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and upgrading of eight existing CETPs here, being carried out at about Rs. 700 crore, witnessed noisy scenes.
As the meeting commenced, farmers on the banks of Noyyal River expressed their concern over the effectiveness of the CETPs coming up.
They sought an explanation from the dyers how some of CETPs mooted under the project was being established within five km. distance from the embankment of the river against the rules laid down by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
T.N. Sivasubramanian, former MLA and president of Pothu Vivasayeegal Sangam, Karur, demanded explanation from the TNPCB officials for allowing dyeing units in the town to operate without any consent order from the board for the last six years.
Expressing displeasure over the “vague answers” given by the TNPCB officials to his query, Mr. Sivasubramanian said that dyeing units should be closed till the commissioning of CETPs.
Collector V. Palani Kumar, chairman of Public Hearing Committee, assured Mr. Sivasubramanian that his opinions would be recorded and sent to the concerned ministry.
Representatives of Tirupur Dyers Association said that with the establishment of new CETPs and upgrading of the eight existing ones, zero discharge of effluents into the Noyyal River would be ensured.