ERODE: Claiming that the Noyyal was unpolluted, Environment Minister K C Karuppannan on Sunday threatened industrialists discharging untreated effluent into the river with Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) -- a draconian Act repealed in 1977 by the Janata government.
The minister was here to inaugurate an Anganwadi built at a cost ofRs 8.70 lakh at Kavundapadipudhur in Bhavani segment. His statements came in response to posers on the pollution problem in the Noyyal and Bhavani rivers caused by the discharge of effluent into the water bodies by dyeing units. He was also asked if any action had been taken on the paper board making units at Bhavanisagar for polluting land and watercourses.
Karuppannan claimed that the river was being monitored round the clock and he was 100 per cent sure of there is no pollution there. Bhavani river too is being monitored, he added.
Contrary to the complaints of farmers that paper board units were ruining their land by letting out effluent, the minister said that the discharge was actually beneficial for them.
“In Bhavanisagar, farmers are using effluent as manure to get a higher banana yield. Hence, there is no truth in stating that the effluent contaminates water in the wells and rivers. There is much competition among the unitholders and there is much jealousy among a few, who want to spoil the functioning of the units by levelling charges against them this way,’’ he offered.
The minister later said that a plan was being prepared to check future river pollution. “Such a scheme would be enforced step by step. The Rs 750 crore CETP (common effluent treatment plant) project proposal has been sent to the Centre for subsidy. If the Centre sanctions the subsidy, the project would be carried out. However, a Rs 100-crore CETP project for Kadayampatti is still pending with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) office in Chennai,” he detailed.