Colours of pollution

Tirupur 8212; known for its hosiery and knitwear industry 8212; accounts for nearly Rs 2,200 crore by way of direct exports and Rs 1,000 cr by way of indirect exports besides Rs 300 cr to 400 cr in the domestic market. The town has provided direct employment for over two lakh persons and indirect employment to another one lakh, who have mostly migrated from the southern districts of Tamil Nadu and marginally from the neighbouring Kerala.

Effluents dischargedfrom the dyeing units of Tirupur have completely polluted the Noyyal river and the ground water resources in this area. Pollution in the Noyyal affected farmers in Erode and Karur districts. Ground water in Tirupur and other parts within five-km radius has become coloured with bad odour. Fearing depletion of ground water table, agriculturists in this region are now protesting against supply of water for the hosiery units now.

The Karur Taluk Noyyal River Irrigation Farmers Association filed a writ petition before the Madras High Court against the dyeing units in 1996. And the court ordered the closure of 164 units in 1997 and 103 units in January 1998. The industry began to feel the pinch and the need for ETPs was felt by the entrepreneurs. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board TNPCB has stationed a district environment engineer in Tirupur to monitor the progress of the construction of ETPs.

As many as 288 dyeing units in Tirupur have come together in groups for setting up eight common effluenttreatment plants CETPs, while 464 units have chosen to have their individual effluent treatment plants IETPs. Nearly 174 units have completed construction of ETPs, while 199 units have completed 75 per cent construction and 91 units are yet to reach the 75-per cent stage.

In the case of CETPs, the Veerapandi CETP is complete, while those in Kasipalayam and Chinnakkarai are getting final touches. The other five CETPs may take a few more months to complete. Rs 40 crore have gone into these CETPs so far.

Interestingly, the TNPCB and Tirupur dyers are engaged in defining and qualifying the word quot;status quoquot; mentioned in the Supreme Court judgment. TNPCB sources said that a legal opinion has been sought to clarify on status quo and maintained that as per the orders of the High Court which had set the deadline as May 11, units which are yet to complete the ETPs should close down immediately. The TNPCB has issued notices for disconnection of power supply to 103 units which were ordered closed in January8217;98.

The Dyers Association maintains that status quo refers to the situation prior to High Court verdict. Its president N. Kandaswamy says that the Supreme Court has posted the next hearing in the case for July 20, by which time he hopes that 90 per cent of the units will complete the construction of ETPs. The Supreme Court verdict has, however, allowed the TNPCB to inspect and allow the ETPs which have completed constructionKandasamy says that IETPs neither have the facility of subsidies from the state or central governments nor do they get funds from the banks. He says that IETPs require around Rs 20 lakh to Rs 65 lakh for construction. Dyeing unit managements are very hopeful that there will not be any immediate threat, as the state government has been very sympathetic towards their cause.

S. Appuswamy, secretary of the Federation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants says that sanctioning of six months time would ease the crisis for the industry. According to him, the serial blasts in Coimbatore andsubsequent restrictions on gelatine and the truckers strike delayed the work. He says that the reluctance of the bankers to fund the CETPs contending that ETPs do not add to the bottomline, was also one of the reasons for the delay.

As this period is considered as a lean season in knitwear industry the peak period begins in September 8212; the industry hopes to wriggle out of the crisis By completing the effluent treatment plants.

R.M. Subramanian, Executive Secretary of Tirupur Exporters Association TEA, says the state government is likely to file an intervention petition before the Supreme Court before the July 20 hearing, to save the industry from crisis. He adds that 15 per cent increase in the dyeing costs because of ETPs, in addition to the existing 55 per cent of the total production cost, will push the knitwear prices by another five per cent.