Residents of B.P. Agraharam claimed that effluents from textile processing units continue to be discharged into Pitchaikaran Canal that finally enters River Cauvery at Vairapalayam causing pollution.
Over 400 small and tiny processing units involved in dyeing, bleaching, printing, tanning and other textile processing works function in R.N. Pudur, B.P. Agraharam and a few other areas in the Corporation limits.
Many units continue to discharge untreated effluents into the canal despite monitoring by the officials of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). Residents claim that presence of froth in the canal is due to the effluents and wanted action against the units.
When contacted, a senior engineer at the TNPCB told The Hindu despite strict monitoring, a few units continued to violate the norms during night hours. Over 70 units were sealed for various violations last year and the officials continued to monitor the units. The canal finally entered River Cauvery at Vairapalayam polluting the river water also.
The official said that five Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) would be established soon for which industries purchased 27 acre at ₹ 6.5 crore.
“Once the CETPs are established, all the effluents from the units will be processed and the water will be sent back to the units for reuse,” the official said and added that CETPs were the only permanent solution to the pollution issue in the city.
At present, of the total 60 wards in the Corporation, sewage from 36 wards was connected to Underground Sewerage Scheme (UGSS) while sewage from 24 wards continued to enter canals which finally entered the river.
Hence, connecting all the UGSS and treating the sewage was the permanent solution to stop polluting the water bodies, the official said.
