At a time when effluent discharges from dyeing units are posing a threat to environment, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Monday announced Rs 700-crore scheme for rehabilitation of small and medium dyeing units and textile industries while keeping pollution at a bay.
As per her proposal, a cluster would be created to accommodate these small and medium dyeing units in Namakkal, Erode, Salem and Karur districts.
These units from various places will be shifted to the cluster.
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She said big dyeing units had achieved zero effluent discharge and the State government also had lent interest-free loan to set up 18 effluent treatment plants. But the small and medium units could not set up treatment plants and the effluents from these units have polluted the Cauvery, Bhavani and Amaravathi rivers, besides damaging the ground water.
Ms Jayalalithaa said the objective of her government was to ensure sustained economic development and the cluster would provide employment to 10,000 persons. Another one lakh people in the textile industry will also benefit from the scheme.
The Chief Minister said Rs 700 crore would be mobilised from various Ministries from the Central government and the rest would be contributed by the State government.
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The scheme will be implemented in the current year jointly by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), Tamil Nadu Small Scale Industries Development Corporation, Tamil Nadu Water Investment Company and Handloom and Textiles department.
“The scheme will not only keep the pollution at check, but also will pave way for manufacturing worth Rs 7000 crore,” she said.