P. Sankaranarayanan, an engineer and farm activist, has petitioned the Union Textiles Ministry against the recent sanctioning of Rs. 200 crore ‘interest free convertible loan’ by Union Government to 18 Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in Tirupur.
He had stated in the memorandum that contempt of court proceedings would be initiated against authorities concerned if the amount was disbursed for enhancing the capacities of CETPs.
“The sanctioning of the amount is illegal considering that the Supreme Court had already observed the need for ‘polluters pay’ principle while hearing the case which the farmers who were part of Noyyal River Ayacutdars Protection Association fought against dyeing units which caused pollution.
“The apex court also then came down heavily on the pollution caused by Tirupur dyers on River Noyyal,” said Mr. Sankaranarayanan.
The Union Government, a few days back, had sanctioned Rs. 200 crore as ‘interest free loan’ which could be converted into ‘grant’ if the CETPs in Tirupur was able to achieve 100 per cent adherence to ‘zero liquid discharge’ norms stipulated by Madras High Court within a span of 10 months.
If any of the CETPs could not attain the stipulated criteria within the time frame, the portion of assistance given to those CETPs would remain as ‘interest free loan’ without been converted into grant.
Of the Rs. 200 crore, the proportional distribution of the amount to various CETPs would be based on the capacity utilisation available at the respective plants.
Mr. Sankaranarayan said that under the polluters pay principle, which was observed by the apex court in the landmark judgement of another case too (Indian Council for Enviro-legal Action versus Union of India), it was not the role of government to meet the costs from tax payers’ money for recovery/remedial actions from the pollution caused by private parties.
