Farmers Forum of India, Madurai, has come out with suggestions and possible solutions for pollution, land degradation, loss of agricultural income and food security issues arising out of the polluting dyeing units in Tirupur.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the forum's State president D.Gurusamy has given the following recommendations:Recycling of the polluted water let into the Noyyal River is beyond the feasible limits owing to the concentrated level of chemical contents. Hence, recycling is not possible. There should be a total ban on establishment of new hosiery units, and the government should put a ceiling on the production level of existing units.
In almost all the European countries, dyeing and bleaching units are completely banned on river basins and the entire European market's demand is met by units in Tirupur where the entire stretch of agricultural land near the Noyyal River has become barren.
The government should strictly adhere to international legal provisions seeking into the recourse of ratification obligations of the state parties of United Nations and local laws. By invoking extraterritorial liability and social responsibility clause, the government shall strictly implement newly-framed rules and regulations to collect cess from the home units producing at the cost of victim-farmers and foreign companies which are importing garments from Tirupur.
Unauthorised units should be weeded out and polluted water should not be let into sea. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme work must be integrated with Tirupur pollution water management efforts.
