more-in Citing alleged discharge of untreated industrial effluents beyond the permissible level, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has ordered closure of Madura Coats textile unit at Aladiyoor in Ambasamudram. Subsequently, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) stopped electricity supply to the textile unit based on instruction from TNPCB District Environmental Engineer S. Sathiaraj. When the workers of the unit turned up for duty on Friday morning, they were informed that the mill was being closed temporarily following orders from the TNPCB and they left the spot around noon. The closure has come as a rude shock for the 700-odd families having their breadwinners as permanent employees of the mill and 3,300 others as contract workers. “Even as the unit was functioning, power supply was stopped around 12.50 a.m. on Friday and the officials’ efforts to resume production with the help of generators were thwarted by government officials,” said a worker who wase on duty on the night of Thursday. “As the sludge generated from the dyeing section is dumped on two acres of land close to drinking water sources, particularly near four wells, the TNPCB sent notice to the mill seeking explanation for this violation. Since the authorities failed to provide proper reply, the TNPCB asked Tangedco to snap power supply,” Collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish told The Hindu.

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