ERODE: Taking advantage of model code, officials on Friday started dismantling 32 textile processing units, functioning illegally in Erode and seized machines worth lakhs of rupees from them.
It may be recalled that after the closure of such units at Tirupur following a High Court order, many shifted their units to Erode.
At a grievance day meeting before the polls, the farmers here had sought a direction to land owners not to rent their lands for such units.
The units, with or without Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), were functioning near the Kalingaryan canal so that they could discharge the effluents into the canal.
Following an alert from the district administration, the officials warned such units that were functioning at B P Agraharam, Narayanavalsu, Vettikattuvalasu, Kaikattivalasu and a few other places last week. But, the units did not pay heed.
So on Friday, a team of officials, including RDO Sugumar, TNPCB district engineer M Malayandi, tahsildar Rajagopalan, along with bulldozers and earthmovers dismantled the units.
In all these units, textile processing work was on in full swing when the officials visited and hundreds were working in makeshift sheds using dyeing, bleaching, printing, jigger machines.
Neither the workers nor owners did not resist the move. At the entrance of BP Agraharam TNEB barrage, the officials demolished buildings, from which four units were functioning. In the same area, five more units were removed.
Zero Liquid
Discharge?
Tirupur: The recent increase in number of applications from the dyers stating that they have complied with the Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) at their treatment plants have raised many an eyebrow as it was thought that it cannot be achieved. Totally 20 Common ETPs, connected to nearly 750 dyeing and washing units and 146 IETPs, were closed down following the court order on January 28, when they failed to comply with ZLD norms. The order directed that units should be opened only after getting the certification of monitoring committee.