The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Polluted Noyyal leaves Karur ryots in distress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Polluted Noyyal leaves Karur ryots in distress

L. Renganathan

The river is dying due to unabated discharge of effluents

KARUR: With the construction of the inverted syphon system across River Noyyal at a cost of Rs. 80 lakh, the Pugalur Channel has overcome its pollution-related problems. But the root cause of the pollution, the Noyyal itself is decaying fast because of unabated draining of treated and untreated effluents from dyeing and bleaching units in the Tirupur region.

Thousands of acres of fertile lands in the Noyyal aycut have degenerated into barren and unproductive fields as the polluted water has ruined the fortunes of hundreds of banana, sugarcane and betel vine farmers.

More than three decades of continued flow of effluents, filled to the brim at the Orathupalayam reservoir in the neighbouring Erode district, is let into the Noyyal. The Noyyal in turn discharges the effluent-mixed water into River Cauvery at its confluence point at Noyyal village in Karur district.

Various government departments over a period have recorded that the effect of the Noyyal pollution is felt as far as Mayanur, about 30 miles downstream.

Affected farmers and public in the numerous villages along the Noyyal have repeatedly complained at various fora for respite, relief and compensation for their loss. It is reported that crops have been affected, animals have suffered infertility and humans have to endure dermatological problems.

Meagre damages

The Loss of Ecology Commission, led by former High Court Judge Bhaskaran, had awarded some compensation to what it identified as “affected farmers.” But overwhelmingly the region farmers and public feel that the degree of pollution effect was not that accurate as identified by the Commission, besides rejecting the meagre compensation. Some have taken the legal recourse to appeal while many others are sulking in silence.

“The influential Pugalur Channel aycut farmers have sought and got a permanent remedy. But we could not forge a united team to fight for our cause that is much larger and wider in scope and effect,” points out S. Chinnasamy Gounder, who was once a sugarcane grower from Noyyal.

His four-acre land has turned almost fallow owing to sustained pollution.

Adversaries strong

If the inability to stitch together a successful team to present its case is a significant problem for the hapless farmers, the insurmountable impediment is the strength of the resourceful dyeing and bleaching unit owners. “Official machinery, including agencies vested with the task of monitoring pollution level, have failed to deliver. Had they done their duty, Noyyal basin would not have been polluted beyond redemption,” points out K. Subbarayan of Karur.

The people and farmers in the Noyyal basin want immediate and comprehensive mechanism to end pollution in the Noyyal, a thorough and impassionate study of the effect of the pollution over the years, grant of adequate compensation to the thousands of affected farmers and a fool-proof method to identify and root out pollution of water bodies.

They want the State and Central governments to turn their attention to their plight.

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