With residents claiming that presence of froth in Pitchaikaran Canal is due to textile processing units releasing untreated effluents into the canal, officials of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has clarified that formation of froth is due to discharge of waste from households and commercial establishments and not from industries.

Residents of B.P. Agraharam noticed abundant froth in the canal, opposite to a private school, who claimed that effluents from processing units are released into the canal and urged officials to initiate action against the units.

When contacted, a senior engineer at the TNPCB told The Hindu that sewage water from households and commercial establishments located in 30 wards in the corporation limits are let into the canal which finally enter River Cauvery at Vairapalayam. He said that the water flows freely in smooth surfaces and when falls from five feet near the school, bubbles and froth are formed. We have lifted water samples and tested on the spot that shows the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) was 860 to 890 mg per litre. “If it is industrial effluent, TDS could be from 4,000 to 6,500 mg per litre”, he said.

The official said that the upper limit of TDS level in drinking water is 500 mg per litre and samples lifted from River Cauvery and Kalingarayan Canal show TDS is 300 and 230 mg per litre respectively. There are around 500 small and tiny units involved in dyeing, bleaching and leather processing in the Erode Corporation limits and power connection was disconnected to 25 units in the past six months for discharging effluents into drains, he said added that they continue to monitor the unit even during night hours to check violations.

Of the 60 wards in the corporation limits, Underground Sewerage Scheme (UGSS) has been completed in 30 wards and the sewage water is processed and the water is let into river. UGSS in the remaining 30 wards is expected to take over two years for completion after which the problem of pollution is expected to be solved.