The Hindu Business Line : TEA seeks Central funds to tackle waste discharge

THE Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) has sought special assistance from the Centre for the wet-processing industry's move towards installing `zero' effluent discharge mechanism under the common effluent treatment plant (CETP) platform.

In a representation to the Ministry of Textiles, TEA has stated that as part of the efforts to tackle the discharge of effluents and adhering to the directions of the Madras High Court to achieve `zero' effluent discharge, four existing and three new CETP companies have signed up with the Tamil Nadu Water Investment Company Ltd (TWICL) to develop and implement a `zero' effluent discharge project.

TWICL, which already figures in implementing the Tirupur industrial water supply project, is expected to finalise the project details for the individual `zero' discharge mechanism for these seven CETP companies.

These CETPs would have 40 million litre per day treatment capacity for which the estimated project cost works out to Rs 225 crore.

These CETPs would account for almost 50 per cent of the total effluents generated from the Tirupur wet processing industry, the TEA pointed out.

Considering the scale of investment for `zero' discharge would be too high and the abolition of the textile quota system under the WTO regime had spelt adoption of cost saving for the textile processing industries to remain competitive in the market, there is a case that these projects need Central assistance. At least 50 per cent of the fund required for these projects must be given as special grant by the Centre. The TEA representation has said that the future of the knitwear industry in the region is dependent on these CETPs implementing the `zero' discharge projects.

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