Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
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Tamil Nadu
ERODE: The Tamil Nadu Government’s budget is silent on the issue that concerns farmers, textile industry and public here most - the issue of discharging textile and other industry effluents into sea. In May 2007 Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had made a statement in the Assembly to the effect that the Government, to protect River Noyyal and other water bodies, would consider a project to facilitate discharge of effluents from industries in Erode, Tirupur and also Karur into sea, provided the industries concerned contributed to the project. Mr. Karunanidhi had said the Centre would contribute 25 per cent and the State Government 15 per cent of the project cost of around Rs. 700 crore. However, almost a year later, the 2008-09 Budget makes no mention of this, which has left many concerned. Head of the Noyyal Farmers’ Protection Committee V. K. Ganesan says the Budget has killed the hopes the 2007 announcement kindled. According to Mr. Ganesan, one lakh acres of land that get water from River Noyyal have remained uncultivated for almost 10 years because of pollution. He says the Budget has not addressed the affected farmers’ demands. Equally dissatisfied is the Erode District Textiles Processors Association. Association president P.K.N. Chandrasekaran says the Budget has fallen well short of the Association’s expectation of addressing the issue of sea discharge of effluents. Fate of committeeThe Association, Mr. Chandrasekaran says, suggested setting up a board to oversee the execution of the project, which has not been taken up. And, the fate of the committee the Government formed to carry out a feasibility study is also not known. He adds that the Association is all for participation in the project and suggests that the Government collect the capital, interest and also the maintenance charge by levying an amount on the effluents discharged from factories. Member of the Legislative Assembly from Kangayam ‘Vidiyal’ S. Sekar, under whose constituency the affected area comes, says the Budget’s silence has worried him. Mr. Sekar told The Hindu that MLAs from neighbouring constituencies, Assembly leaders of parties and he planned to meet the Chief Minister to represent the issue, as their call-attention and adjournment motions had not been taken up in the past. The textile industry in the region brings foreign exchange worth over Rs. 15,000 crore and employs around 10 lakh workers.
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