6 dyeing units in Pondy sealed for pollution

PUDUCHERRY: Five unauthorised dyeing units and a steel unit were closed by Pondicherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC) under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.The PPCC issued closure directions to M/s R Kamaraj, Rainbow Dyeing and Textiles, Muthialpet, M/s N Suresh of Murugan Dyeing, Muthialpet, M/s Sundaravadivelu, PS Sivabalan, Muthialpet, M/s National Dyeing, Muthialpet, V Thayumanasamy, Muthialpet, on December 5 for causing grave injury to the environment by release of large volumes of effluents into the sea without treatment, and to AML Steel Limited (re-rolling division), Eripakkam, Nettapakkam Commune, on December 9 for operating without air pollution control devices and thereby not fulfilling the safety norms last week.S Sundaravadivelu, member Secretary, PPCC, said a complaint was lodged on Sunday against the units before the PPCC on discharge of effluents into public drains, which is changing the colour of seawater. During inspection, it was found that the units were carrying out unauthorised dyeing activity. The units were also operating without obtaining “Consent-to-establish and Consent-to-operate” certificates, which is in gross violation of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and Section 25 of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.