The stretch of the Bhavani river between Sirumugai, near Mettupalayam, and Bhavanisagar dam in Erode district is picturesque with banana plantations on both sides. The lush greenery bordering the river and the abundance of marine life is a testimony to people’s power, the sheer will of a small group of people who fought against giant polluting industries and saved the river.
About 20 years ago, this stretch had turned black due to effluents released by yarn processing firm, South India Viscose (SIV) Industries Limited, in Sirumugai. Although SIV was established in 1962 on the banks of the Bhavani and releasing effluents into the river for years, its ill-effects on the groundwater and surrounding farmlands started showing only during the 1980s when the firm beefed up production.
The locals, most of them employed in the firm and paid much better than workers in other factories, were more focused on their own and their village’s fortunes than the decaying river.
But reality struck these folks sometime during the early ‘80s when the river started to stink and its colour changed. “At least 32 tmcft of water stored in the dam had become so polluted that all the fish died one fine morning. When 30,000 tonnes of fish died and floated in the dam, the villagers in Erode, Sathy and the surrounding areas woke up to the effects of indiscriminate release of effluents,” says Mr N. Sundandran (70), who spearheaded the campaign against the polluting firm.
The small group of environmentalists was joined by students, activists and farmers who formed the Bhavani River Protection Committee. Though their case in the Madras HC in 1994 was dismissed, they forced the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to file a case against SIV, said Mr Jayachandran of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement. After a sustained legal battle and series of protests, the locals forced SIV to close down in 2001.
Ten years have passed; the factory has changed hands and the river has sprung back to life with lush green banana plantations on both sides. Sirumugai has prospered along with the Bhavani river.
Source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com
nice blog….