Industries discharge effluents into water bodies: Erode farmers

ERODE: Farmers and activists of Perundurai have urged the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to take steps to stop industries from discharging untreated effluents into water bodies. According to farmers, thanks to the widespread rainfall in the State, water bodies in remote villages too were getting copious inflow. In Perundurai taluk for instance, water bodies in Odaikkattur, Sullimedu, Palatholuvu villages located close to State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) units have recorded good inflow but the color of the water is different, hinting at possible untreated effluents from industries being let into water bodies.

Tamilselvan, a farmer and activist, said, ‘’Every rainy season, these water bodies face this issue. A few factories discharge polluted water into common sewage canals at night. We have lodged a complaint with TNPCB and the board must immediately take action,” he said. ‘’Palatholuvu pond comes under Athikkadavu Avinashi drinking water and irrigation scheme. The project is expected to be completed soon. If the pond is contaminated, the long years of struggle of farmers will go waste as the contaminated water will not be fit for drinking,” he added.

Nanthakumar, a farmer from Ingur near Sullimedu, said, ‘’We have filed several complaints with officials. But a solution still eludes us.” Muthuraj, assistant engineer of TNPCB, said, ‘’We are closely monitoring industries and we have not found any foul play. Factories in SIPCOT have sewage treatment plants. We will, however, conduct a field study to check for possible leakages from SIPCOT units’’.