Court tells dyeing units not to pollute Noyyal

he Supreme Court has directed the Tirupur Dyeing Factory Owners Association to ensure there is no pollution in the Noyyal river or the Orthapalayam dam due to discharge of effluents from their units. A Bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice B.S. Chauhan, disposing of appeals filed by the Association, also directed the units to ensure compliance with all court directives, including payment of dues, within three months. Writing the judgment, Justice Chauhan pointed out that undoubtedly there had been unabated pollution by the members of the Association. “They cannot escape the responsibility to meet the expenses of reversing the ecology. They are bound to meet the expenses for removing sludge from the river and also for cleaning the dam. The principles of ‘polluters pay’ and ‘precautionary principle’ have to be read with the doctrine of ‘sustainable development’.” The Bench said: “It becomes the responsibility of the members of the Association that they have to carry out their industrial activities without polluting the water. A large number of farmers have suffered because of the pollution caused by them. They cannot cultivate any crop on the said land. The committee has made a complete survey and assessed the loss and identified the families which are entitled for compensation.” The Bench pointed out that the Supreme Court had only stayed the operation of the Madras High Court direction to the extent that the units would be closed on July 31, 2007. This interim order was extended from time to time. It had not interfered with any other directions. The Bench said that the inspection committee, which examined the 17 Common Effluent Treatment Plants in Tirupur on August 3 and 4, had stated in its report that the 17 CETPs had paid only Rs.17,22,46,031 as against Rs.55,60,96,848 and the appellant had deposited Rs. 25 crore in the High Court as per the order dated August 10. The Bench noted that many steps had been taken by the Association to ensure compliance with the orders passed by the High Court fully.

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