In his address on a webinar on policy review with regulatory impact on the implementation of the “Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 here on Friday, Venkatachalam said that as a part of the river restoration project, 80 per cent of the industrial waste earlier dumped into these rivers has now been arrested and 20 per cent of the pollution is the release of solid waste and sewer by municipal corporations and local bodies.

“Tamil Nadu’s riparian rights over Cauvery continues to be an issue affecting the prospects of the State and its farmers,” State Planning Commission vice-chairman C Ponnaiyan said while addressing a webinar. “The demand for freshwater continues to be an issue and I am worried about the capital city for its water and air pollution levels,” Ponnaiyan added. Pointing out that the World Bank-funded Cooum river restoration project mooted during the previous governments suffered delays due to mismanagement, as a result, several stretches of Cooum continue to be an eyesore. Pointing out that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has been keen on water management, he said that the State’s kudimaramathu projects executed at an estimate of over Rs 500 crore has helped improve groundwater by 8 per cent. Ponnaiyan also urged the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the Tamil Nadu Water Supply Board to work together in making Chennai a zero affluent city.

“Despite action by the TNPCB, pollution continues to be an issue. Textiles and dyeing factories have spoiled several agricultural lands in Western Tamil Nadu and there is a need for more stringent action on pollution mitigation. Connect all the industries through online monitoring to abate pollution,” Ponnaiyan said insisting the stakeholders to come up with scientific plans and schemes that will make the State a less polluted place.