The proposed integrated silk park in Kancheepuram is expected to protect groundwater in and around the temple town from being polluted with effluents.
With the State government coming forward to form more handloom cooperative societies to save silk saree weavers from the clutches of private master weavers, the number of silk yarn dyeing units also registered a steady growth. .
The spurt in number of colouring units also resulted in protests from activists who claimed that untreated effluent let out from the dyeing units into canals such as Manjalneerkalvai, Ashtabujam channel and Vegavathi river was polluting the groundwater table in the town.
They insisted that the colouring process trade be regulated and a common effluent treatment plant (CETP) be set up to save the groundwater potential, traders recalled, but there was no progress on creating this facility.
A ray of hope has now emerged among silk yarn dyeing unit owners when the integrated silk park project was announced. The proposed project includes a CETP for silk yarn dyeing units, officials said.
However, as the modalities for setting up of the park were formulated, the Peraringnar Anna Handloom Silk Park was pressured to include cotton yarn colouring units as stakeholders in the project. Thus, the number of dyeing units to be accommodated in the silk park has almost doubled, officials explained.
Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has issued notices to existing dyeing units directing them to either become a member in PAHSP or close down the business. Under such circumstances, bringing all dyeing and colouring units under a single umbrella and treating effluents through the CEPT will help in preventing further damage to the ground water table, officials hope.
