TN Dist tanneries given more time to set up ROPs

Chennai, July 12 (UNI) Madras High Court has given tanneries and dyeing units in Erode District time till December 31 to set up Reverse Osmosis Plants (ROP).

Disposing a petition from the tanneries seeking more time for installing the plants, a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice P Sathasivam and Mr Justice V Dhanapalan, however, made it clear the court will not extend the time any further.

It said ''if any unit failed to comply with the court's directive as well as that of the Pollution Control Board (PCB) in respect of the provision of the systems, they will be liable to pay compensation by way of costs per day to PCB.'' They also directed the PCB to inspect the units which provided the ROP systems after issuing due notice to them.

PCB should issue no-objection certificates to these units, if it was satisfied after inspecting them.

On February 15, 2005, the High Court had ordered all tanneries and dyeing units in and around Erode to instal ''common tertiary treatment system with reverse osmosis for water recovery and evaporation system for RO rejects.'' Most of them invited tenders for installing ROPs and sought more time for completing the work.

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