COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has reclassified coir industries from white to orange, which places them in the category of polluting industries. Following the reclassification, coir industries have to get approval from the pollution control board and their operation will be monitored periodically.
J Priya, an environmentalist who petitioned Madras High Court about pollution caused by coir industries in Pollachi, welcomed the development. The industry was classified under Orange in 2010. It was changed to white in 2016 due to political influence by industrialists. Since then, there has been no control over their operation which resulted in the degradation of air and soil. Also, water theft has become rampant in PAP by the industries. Following the reclassification, it will be restricted."
A senior TNPCB official said, "The reclassification was done on November 10, based on the direction of NGT and High Court, All coir industries functioning in the State will be monitored periodically hereafter. If we find any violation, legal action would be taken against the industries."
"Coir industries in the Parambikulam Aliyar basin are drawing water illegally from the channel to clean coconut husk. Also, they discharge effluent in it. We have been demanding that it should be regulated. It will happen now, "K Paramasivam, Planning Committee Chairman of the Parambikulam Aliyar Irrigation Project.
B Rangaraj, the owner of a coir industry, said the sector would be affected by the classification. "In Kerala, the industry is classified under red category, so several operators from Kerala opened shop into Pollachi. Now that the classification has been changed here also, production will take a hit."
The Colour Code
As per the Central Pollution Control Board norm, industries are classification as red, orange, green and white categories based on their pollution levels.
Red - High pollution level
Orange & Green - Moderate
White - No pollution