Three dyeing units in Salem were demolished by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and Revenue officials on Thursday.
TNPCB officials said that based on information that unauthorised units were functioning in Sevapet, Neikkarapatti and Uthama Solapuram, officials raided the units and found three winches in each unit.
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Cement tanks, roofs and equipment used for dyeing were demolished by using earth movers. The units were operating using generators. Officials pointed out that unauthorised units had been set up in Salem after their operations were closed down in Tirupur following a High Court order.
An official said that around 55 unauthorised dyeing units were demolished in Salem district recently and said that the drive would continue. The official said that people can also inform the TNPCB of unauthorised dyeing units functioning in their area at 0427-2448526.
M. Saravanakumar, Assistant Executive Engineer, A. Thangapandian, Deputy Executive Engineer, Loganathan, Village Administrative Officer and police officials were present.
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Our Namakkal Staff Reporter adds:
The drive against illegal dyeing units that were polluting River Cauvery was carried out for the second consecutive day at Pallipalayam area in Tiruchengode Taluk on Thursday. Demolition of those polluting units was jointly carried out by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and police at Samayasangili village on the Pallipalayam to Komarapalayam Road.
In the fields
District Environmental Engineer (DEE) K. Gokuladas told The Hindu that a total 10 units that were located among the fields and in the remote localities of the village were removed on Thursday.
According to him 64 cement tank used for manual dyeing, 10 machineries such as jiggers and winches, seven oil engines and generator sets were completely destroyed using an earth mover.
He said that a TNPCB team that surveyed the village two days ago identified nearly 30 machineries (jiggers and winches) and close to 15 units that were operating in that locality.
“Two-third of the machinery were dismantled by their owners as they had witnessed demolition of such units at Aavathipaalayam (less then two kilometres from there) on Wednesday,” he added.
Mr. Gokuladas noted that the machinery was designed to be dismantled in less than an hour or two and to relocate them to safer localities before TNPCB personnel started demolishing them.
“The owner of one such unit just started removing his machinery with an earth mover when we identified it hidden near a sugarcane field and completely demolished it on Thursday,” the DEE said.
Cautious
Noting that miscreants operating those dyeing units were now cautious and ready to dismantle them, Mr. Gokuladas said that they would pause the eviction drive for a couple of days and continue from next week.
Joint Chief Environmental Engineer (Monitoring) from Erode S. Selvan, Environmental Engineer of the Flying Squad (Erode) Vijayalakshmi and Pallipalayam police were present during the eviction.