Farmers stage sit-in against Tnpcb officials

Tirupur: More than 70 people, including farmers and residents, staged a sit-in on Vazhai Thottam-Karaipudur Road at Karaipudur near Palladam in the district on Monday condemning the Tamil Nadu pollution control board for failing to act against textile dyeing units that pollute waterbodies and land.
A farmer said, “Many of the dyeing units violate the mandatory zero liquid discharge (ZLD) norm by releasing industrial effluents either in unused borewells or in open wells. Some also stack sludge generated in effluent treatment process without following safety measures.”
“It causes severe pollution in land and water. In agricultural wells, fishes have died due to the pollution. We have been continuously complaining to the Tnpcb, but the officials are not acting against the violators. We have suffered for more than a decade,” said the farmer. The farmers warned that if the situation continued, they would be forced to intensify the protest.
Later, Tnpcb officials met the farmers and agreed to hold talks with them. The talks between farmers and Tnpcb officials is likely to be held in next three days.