NILGIRIS: A tar manufacturing unit (hot mix plant) has allegedly been trying to start its operation in a village near Gudalur in violation of environmental norms.
Its proposed site at Devala village is near the Valavayal reserve forest and a check dam at Devala in Nelliyalam municipality near Gudalur.
Since the Nilgiris District Pollution Control Board has refused to give approval to the new proposal, company owner P Rayan has moved the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Appellate Authority in Chennai.
V Harris, a local resident and president of the action committee formed against the plant, approached this appellate authority, demanding denial of permission. He claimed the proposed area (SF 122/1) is located just 10 metres from the Valavayal reserve forest in the Gudalur forest division.
A check dam from which the Nelliyalam municipality is supplying water to the residents is located near the proposed site, he said.
"Moreover, the proposed land is an agricultural area, and the registration department has clearly mentioned in the registration document that the land should not be converted. Company owner P Rayan owns another plant just 60 m from the present location and the Nilgiris District Pollution Control Board officials have not renewed its licence since March 31, 2025. We have been protesting against the tar manufacturing plant since its operation as it has been posing breathing difficulties for the people in the surroundings of Devala village and creating pollution," said Harris.
"The company owner has his own land at Cherambadi. We suggested him to construct the unit there as both the new site and the previous site, which started functioning in 2006, are located amidst 150 families and a school. The unit was sealed by the revenue officials on November 10, 2020, citing that the crushed stones had been piled like a hillock at the unit and the dust spreading from the stones were creating allergies and breathing difficulties to them," said Harris.
As per the Pollution Control Board guideline, 2023, hot mix plants should not be set up within one kilometre of towns, 500 m from school and five kilometres from reserve forests, stated R Ranjith, coordinator of O-Valley Makkal Iyakkam. However, both the new and the existing company have violated these norms, he alleged.
Ranjith alleged that the company owner is trying to influence the officials by greasing their palms, and the people are resorting to all possible legal ways to stop the project.
In an RTI reply, Harris found that the Nelliyalam municipality had not issued a licence to the existing company.
Kommu Omkaram, who was the District Forest Officer of Gudalur Forest division in his letter to the district collector on June 12, 2023, has clearly stated that operation of the tar mixing plant located only 400 m away from the sanctuary may result in disturbance to the wildlife, posing a potential threat to the ecological integrity of this sensitive area.