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Ambattur Industrial Estate, which houses more than 2,000 industrial units and employs over 3 lakh people, may not be able to maintain its annual growth rate of 10-15 per cent if some its infrastructural challenges are not addressed by the government, senior officials of the estate’s association said.
“Industries in Ambattur Estate have been clocking 10-15 per cent growth every year and quite a few of our units have established plants in surrounding areas such as Gummidipoondi, Sriperumbudur, Irungattukottai and Oragadam but there are some challenges that we are facing which may not help us to maintain this growth rate,” said AN Sujeesh, President, Ambattur Industrial Estate Manufacturer's Association (AIEMA).
Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, Sujeesh said over 100 units in the North Phase of the industrial estate were recently flooded with 4-5 feet of water after a brief spell of rain last week.
Estimating the loss due to inundation to more than ₹100 crore, he said, improper planning of canal which carries the surplus water from Ambattur lake to Korattur lake, lack of drainage facility for the villagers and letting out of sewage in the canal are the major causes of flooding.
“Nobody can do anything if there is a flood as in 2015 but there shouldn’t be flooding even for normal rainfall,” Sujeesh added.
Balachandran, Vice-President, AIEMA said until 2016, surplus outflow from Ambattur lake was discharged to Korattur lake but PWD constructed a new channel to carry the surplus to Otteri Nullah after an NGT order restraining discharge to Korattur lake. The order came after residents of Korattur alleged that sewage mixed enroute is affecting the waterbody.
The Industry Association urged the government to widen the canal sufficiently to carry all the surplus water and also the water from the industrial estate to Korattur lake. It also suggested that a Sewage Treatment Plant be set up at the exit to the estate. As a stop-gap arrangement, the association proposed that the Chennai Corporation arrange for collection of the sewage by the Corporation tankers and delivered at Koyambedu STP.
The Association called for setting up of joint monitoring body with representations from AIEMA, Chennai Corporation, residents associations, PWD and TANSIDCO to find a lasting solution to the problem.
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