Jaya bid to add life to dyeing units

Tamilnadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today issued an order to allot Rs 127.40 crore to 15 common effluent treatment plants in Tirupur region. The initiative is expected to put an end to the problem prevailing for years between the managements of dyeing units and the local farmers.

According to an official release here, the waste let out from 754 dyeing units and 20 common effluent treatment plants mixed with Noyyal river and other water bodies meant for irrigation. Hence, based on a case filed by the farmers' federation, the High Court ordered setting up of common effluent treatment plants in 1998. However, the problem persisted even after that, the release said and listed out various legal notifications and court verdicts that were given in the issue for the past one decade and more. Finally, based on a High Court order in 28 January this year, as many as 754 dyeing units were closed on 1 February. Thousands of employees lost their jobs and the textile industry in Tirupur region suffered a major blow, the release said. Recalling that Jayalalithaa, who is fully aware of the problem, convened a meeting in this regard on the fourth day of her taking charge as Chief Minister (19 May), the release said various meetings were convened after that and different measures to be implemented were discussed, as zero release of effluent would enable the dyeing units to function. 'It was finally decided that installing latest equipment at dyeing units would address the issue. Hence a policy decision was taken to allot Rs 200 crore as interest-free loan to 20 units (Rs 10 crore each). Following this, the Chief Minister has ordered to release Rs 127.40 crore as credit,' the release said. The allocation would help in achieving the zero discharge target, benefiting both farmers and the dyeing units, it said. It has been decided to adopt either a system followed on experimental basis at 'Arulpuram Tamilnadu Water Investment Corporation Limited' or a Nano effluent treatment system being followed in Gujarat, it added, expressing hope that the decision would make thousands of employees in the dyeing units, farmers in Tirupur region and their family members happy.