CHENNAI: Thousands of workers in the dyeing and bleaching units in Tirupur, besides farmers dependent on the Noyyal River, can now hope for good times ahead, if the slew of measures announced by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday to permanently resolve the dyeing effluent crisis is any indication.The representatives of the dyeing units and farmers from the Tirupur region met Jayalalithaa at the Secretariat here following marathon meetings with the State Industries Minister in May and June.In an official release here, Jayalalithaa said following her instructions, a new technology was being followed now in the Arulpuram Common Effluent Treatment Plant to ensure zero liquid discharge as stipulated by the Madras High Court.The plant is operated by the Tamil Nadu Water Investment Company Limited. Steps have been taken to reuse the brine solution in the industries after recycling 20 per cent of effluent reject water that was being received in accordance with the new technology, she said.Also, a panel comprising pollution board and handloom officials, besides Tirupur dyeing unit representatives, would leave for Gujarat this week. They would study if the Nano technology used there could be replicated in Tirupur, she said.About Rs 10 crore would be needed to implement either of these two technologies at each of the 20 common effluent treatment plants. The State Government would provide the required Rs 200 crore as interest-free loan, Jayalalithaa assured.“Be it Arulpuram technology on trial basis or the Nano, it may take two months to take a call. Additional equipment would be installed within two months,” she said.After deciding on the technology, it would be used on an experimental basis for three months. The State pollution control board would give the go ahead for the technology based on the recommendation of the Madras High Court- appointed monitoring committee.Farmers’ InterestJayalalithaa promised that the interests of farmers in Tirupur region would be fully protected even while taking steps to ensure working of bleaching and dyeing units. “Zero liquid discharge will be achieved by the proposed technologies. Hence, farmers’ interests will be fully protected,” the Chief Minister added.The Madras High Court levied a penalty of Rs 49.29 crore to clean up the Orathupalayam dam and compensate the farmers. Now, Rs 37.11 crore has been collected. The PWD has been given Rs 6.77 crore to desilt the reservoir and Rs 11.96 as compensation to 17,758 farmers.The remaining sum of Rs 18.38 crore is yet to be paid to 10,838 farmers. “I have ordered the immediate release of compensation to farmers considering their welfare though the money could be paid to them only after they obtain the High Court’s order,” the Chief Minister said.Also, a penalty of Rs 62.37 crore collected as per a High Court directive has now multiplied into Rs 67 crore with accumulated interest. This would be used to fund clean up of polluted water resources and land, besides giving compensation to farmers.
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