MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday issued notice to the state government on a PIL filed seeking direction to the government to revise the water tariff levied on the industries and institutions drawing water from the Thamirabarani River, recover tax arrears, and utilise the same for the rejuvenation of the river.
The litigant S Kamaraj alias Muthalankurichi Kamaraj of Thoothukudi, alleged in his petition that apart from drinking water purposes, the water from the river is used by 27 industries in the SIPCOT complex at Gangaikondan and 73 industries in the SIPCOT complex at Thoothukudi. Despite high-volume extraction, the water tariff levied on these industries remains frozen at Rs 1.50 per 1,000 litres as per a G.O. passed by the Public Works Department (PWD) on May 14, 1998, he alleged.
Citing an RTI report dated April 12, 2024, Kamaraj claimed that several major industrial consumers, including cement manufacturers, chemical industries, and even statutory bodies such as TWAD Board, have accumulated over Rs 250 crore of unpaid water-tax arrears.
As per the above report, as on December 31, 2023, the TWAD Board, Thoothukudi, has an outstanding amount of over Rs 200 crore, followed by a few more companies like India Cement, DCW, VV Minerals, and Arjun Pulp and Paper (India), Kamaraj alleged. These funds, if recovered and earmarked properly, could strengthen river restoration, he added. He also sought a direction to revise the tariff. A special bench of justices GR Swaminathan and B Pugalendhi issued notice to the authorities concerned and adjourned the case to December 4.