The dark side of Kappalur Industrial Estate

The 700-acre facility lacks infrastructure such as street lights, water, sewage and storm water drains

A health hazard: Industrial effluents being discharged into a dysfunctional sewage pumping station at Kappalur Industrial Estate.

M. Sumathi and S. Machavalli are residents of Koothiyarkundu, a village located about 2.5 km from Kappalur Industrial Estate. Every day, around 8 a.m., the two walk for 20 minutes to reach their workplace – a textile mill inside the estate. They have no qualms completing their rigorous nine-hour shift. The problem arises when they leave for home around 5.30 p.m.

“It gets pitch dark and unsafe in the estate. There are no street lights. Just the lights from factories that run at night. It is scary,” says Ms. Machavalli.

Kappalur Industrial Estate, the second largest industrial estate established by the Tamil Nadu government between 1964 and 1965, lacks basic infrastructure, especially street lights. The estate employs about 20,000 people, including 12,000 women who work overtime and in night shifts. As there are no street lights, many women who work in spinning mills, often sleep overnight in the factory and head home at daybreak to avoid untoward incidents.

It is also a matter of concern for men. Several thefts have been reported on the dark streets of the estate. Some groups of men resort to anti-social activities on the roads, making the work environment unsafe.

Owner of Sreni Textile Mill, S. Ramkumar, says the company is unable to retain employees beyond 6 p.m. even on days when it is essential due to fear of repercussions. “We have to drop them home and that becomes a logistical issue,” he says.

Buyers sceptical

Kappalur Industrial Estate Association president P. M. Raghunatha Raja says lack of street lights is just scratching the surface of the problem. There is no drinking water, sewage or storm water drainage facility, he says. “Buyers who visit our factories are sceptical of our ability to get the job done on seeing the infrastructure. They are not interested in doing business with us,” he says. Mr. Ramkumar spends ₹6,000 for drinking water alone and ₹10,000 for the mill’s functioning each month.

All industrialists have their own septic tanks attached to toilets. Although a pumping station and drainage lines were established by Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation (TANSIDCO) when the industrial estate was opened, it stopped functioning around 15 years ago. Drainage stagnates around the pumping station – a threat to health and hygiene.

S. Sathya, a student of Class 10 who accompanies her working mother and grandmother to a spinning mill each day during summer, says flies and mosquitoes breed in the nearby swamp, which was earlier a pumping station. “It will be better if the area is cleaned,” she says. Workers from surrounding places such as Koothiyarkundu, Kappalur, Tirupparankundram and Tirumangalam find transportation a big issue. Many of them use share autorickshaws to reach the four-lane highway. From there they have to walk into the estate.

The 700-acre industrial estate has provision for roads for a length of about 11.5 km. But there is no road for at least four km, says Mr. Raghunatha Raja. “SIDCO assessed some parts of the estate and has just laid gravel for patch works. New roads have not been laid in many areas for at least 30 years now,” he says.

No garbage collection

There is no garbage collection system at the industrial estate. Companies burn their waste on barren lands near the estate or let the garbage rot on the road. Since storm water drains are choked with garbage, dirty water enters industrial units during monsoon.

Mr. Raja says SIDCO and Kappalur Industrial Estate Association have established a centre for excellence with an investment of around ₹2 crore. “The centre was supposed to be a hub, a business school where first generation entrepreneurs can learn and grow. It was also supposed to be an exhibition centre. Though it is over one year since it was built, the centre is not used,” he says.

An official of SIDCO says they have submitted a plan to the State government for providing all necessary infrastructure in Madurai circle. “We have a monthly cap on maintenance expenditure. It is ₹10,000. Many miscreants break the bulbs in lamp posts. The money is just enough to replace a few bulbs and clear ‘karuvela’trees in barren spaces,” the official says.

Twenty one notices have been sent to industries releasing untreated effluents into the storm water drains. “All stakeholders must work together to improve the condition,” he says.