The Nilgiris district administration has given time till July 15 for people operating carrot cleaning machines to install treatment plants to treat the water used to rinse and clean vegetables, before the water is released into streams and water bodies.
Chemical load
The new orders were put in place after farmers downstream from where the carrot machines are primarily located complained of the high chemical load in the run-off from the machines.
Horticulture Department officials said that of the more than 6,000 hectares of land being used for agriculture in the Nilgiris, almost half is used to grow carrots. As soil fertility was on the decline due to intensive agriculture, farmers use chemical fertilizers and pesticides to swell harvests and keep pests at bay.
When the vegetables are brought to the carrot machines to be washed, large quantities of water are used to wash off the soil encrusting the vegetables. When the water, mixed with the soil and chemicals is released into streams, they have the potential to be a huge source of pollution further downstream, the officials said.
Officials said that there were more than 50 facilities in the Nilgiris where carrots are washed and cleaned before they are sent to markets across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Most of the facilities were located in Ketti Palada, Muthorai Palada and Thalaikundah.
Nilgiris District Collector J. Innocent Divya took into account the concerns raised by the farmers who are affected by the pollutants in the water from the carrot machines, and has directed the people running these facilities to install treatment plants so that the water from the machines is first rid of toxic substances before it is released into streams and water bodies.
