Letters

Divide and rule forests

Towards zero discharge

Tirupur dyeing units told to close

THE Madras High Court has ordered closure of more than 700 bleaching and dyeing units, and effluent treatment plants in Tirupur in Tamil Nadu. On January 28, the court also asked the state government to disconnect electricity supply to the units in the hosiery town that failed to comply with its earlier order to achieve zero liquid discharge of effluents.

Coimbatore attempts to save waterbodies

In times of crisis there are two things one can do: crib and cry or do something about it. When the groundwater in the industrial city of Coimbatore plunged to 300 m at some places four years ago, its corporate houses and residents opted for the second way out: they took matters into their hands.

Foul waters

fresh water is, perhaps, the most important of all natural resources affected by uncontrolled economic growth. In large parts of India, people face scarcity of water for both drinking and irrigation purposes. Take the case of Tamil Nadu. There are 34 river basins in Tamil Nadu.

A Tale of Two Rivers

NOYYAL and Bhavani. Rivers both. One is dubbed dead. The other is one of India's most polluted rivers. One is seasonal, the other perennial. Both emerge from the Western Ghats and empty into the Cauvery in Tamil Nadu. The two rivers may be minute in size as compared to great Indian rivers, but have all ingredients of a riveting contest between use and abuse; between desperate and sustainable development.