Chennai ,Nov 12 (BPNS)
The Coir industry at Pollachi in Tamil Nadu will be affected after the Tamil Nadu State Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has reclassified the coir industry under the category of polluting industry. While Coir was earlier under White category of the Pollution Control Board and did not require a license.
Environmentalists had earlier moved Madras High Court and the National Green Tribunal, South Indian Bench stating that Coir was a polluting industry and that license should be made mandatory for the industry.
The Madras High court and NGT directed the Tamil Nadu State Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to reclassify Coir industry under the polluting industry which was abided by the TNPCB. Earlier coir and the Coir industry was categorized under the White segment which means that no inspection was required for operating a Coir factory in Tamil Nadu.
Several environmentalists had cried foul on the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board classifying coir industry under the White category which means that no time is required.
TNPCB officials while speaking to BPNS said, “ The reclassification was done on November 10 and was based on the directive from the Madras High court and the NGT. All Coir industries functioning in the state would be periodically monitored hereafter and stringent action would be taken against the industries if any violations are found.”
The Parambikkulam Aliyar Irrigation project planning chairman, K. Paramsivam while speaking to media persons said, “ Coir industries in the Parambikkulam Aliyar basin are drawing water illegally to clean the coconut husk and are discharging effluent.” He said that the order of the TNPCB would regulate the use of water from the Parambikkulam Aloyar Project.
However, the Coir sector is worried over the TNPCB verdict and said that the High Court directive will bring in death knell to the Coir industry in Tamil Nadu.
Mathew John of Standard Coir exporters, Pollachi while speaking to BPNS said, “We shifted base from Kerala where the government put us in the red category. In Tamil Nadu, the sector was under White category but after the directive from the Madras High Court it is now classified under Orange sector which means license from TNPCB is required for the Coir industry to operate here in Tamil Nadu.”
