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Friday, Nov 23, 2007
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Friday, Nov 23, 2007 ePaper |
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Tamil Nadu
KARUR: Farmers in Karur district have alleged that effluents discharged by public and private sector companies are polluting their fields which are irrigated by Pugalur Channel. They are seeking a permanent solution to the problem. The Pugalur Channel starts from the Cauvery near the Jedarpalayam Bed Regulator and is 21 miles long. The channel branches into Palla Vaikkal, Mettu Vaikkal, Popular Mudaliar Channel, all running parallel to the Cauvery and irrigates at least 20,000 acre including 8,000 acres of registered ayacut in Karur district. The Popular Mudaliar Channel drains off into Vangal and Nerur channels. A lot of crops including banana, betel vine, sugar cane, reed grass (korai) and, to some extent, paddy are grown in the ayacut’s rich and fertile fields. Since the Pugalur Channel falls into and crosses River Noyyal at Noyyal village, the polluted water of Noyyal affected the Pugalur Channel as well. After a prolonged struggle, a permanent solution to prevent Pugalur Channel from getting polluted by effluent discharged from Tirupur’s dyeing and bleaching units via Orathupalayam reservoir with the construction of an inverted syphon system at a cost of Rs. 80 lakh. But the joy of farmers between Sembadampalayam and Sevanthipalayam in Karur district turned out to be short-lived as they allege that the effluents being discharged by the public sector Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited from its Kagithapuram facility in the vicinity is affecting their fields. Pollution continues unabated as the areas irrigated by Palla Vaikkal, Mettu Vaikkal, etc., are getting affected, the farmers claim. An estimated 5,000 acre continue to be adversely influenced by the ``treated” effluents being released by the TNPL. About 20 cusecs of chloride-rich effluent mixed water is being released from the TNPL’s treatment facilities while another private sugar mill in Pugalur allegedly dumps its effluents and sludge on the sly in the nearby areas, the farmers rue. “We were happy when the inverted syphon was established across River Noyyal to prevent Pugalur Channel pollution from Noyyal. But now we find that the paper mill is also causing trouble to our fertile fields,” bitterly complain farmers in the area, demanding a permanent solution to the State-sponsored pollution. When the Cauvery flow was meagre, farmers of the region relied on the polluted water. Sources confide that the pollution level of the effluents discharged from the TNPL hovered around 2,300 TDS some time back at the point of confluence. Lack of proper monitoring by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and crass insensitivity displayed by the public sector paper mill has contributed to their misery, farmers allege. Farmers have now planned to move the court, seeking remedy against the “injustice” being meted out to them.
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