Action will be taken to restore Pala river and remove chromium waste: Ex-judge
Tamil Nadu: Former Chennai High Court judge Satyanarayana said steps would be taken to free the river from pollution and resolve issues including disposal of chromium waste.
The Pala river, an important river flowing through Vellore, Tirupattur and Ranipet districts, is being polluted by illegal discharge of leather waste and sewage by local bodies. In 2010, a case was filed in the Supreme Court by the Vellore Environmental Monitoring Organisation, demanding an inquiry into the matter and steps to restore the Pala river and provide compensation to the affected agricultural land.
After this, a committee was formed under the leadership of retired former Madras High Court judge Satyanarayana. The committee was also ordered to investigate and submit a report within 4 weeks.
The team first inspected the Ranitech General Leather Treatment Plant, which treats wastewater from leather factories in Ranipet district, the areas where several lakh tonnes of chromium waste has been accumulating in the Chipkot area since 2003 and the wastewater that flows into the Arcot-Ranipettai Palattu river bed. Later, committee chairman and former judge Satyanarayana said: It has been found that Palaru is being polluted by leather waste, chromium waste and sewage from local governments. A study is being conducted in this regard and provision is being made to compensate those affected. The Ranitech Public Leather Wastewater Treatment Plant is the best treatment plant in the country. It has been found that land and water are being polluted by chromium waste accumulated in the Ranipet Chipkot area since 2003. Since no one has come forward to safely dispose of this chromium waste despite the agreement, we are going to discuss the next step. After this, a study will be conducted in the Palaru area. The next step will be a consultative meeting with government officials after two weeks. After that, as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court, we will submit the study in the form of a report. He said that the public also has the responsibility to handle and dispose of the garbage. The media should also take it in its hands and come forward to create awareness.
