A proposal for establishment of wastewater treatment plants at 56
locations has been forwarded to the State Government. The treatment
plants are estimated to cost about Rs. 142 crore, official sources said.

Based
on success of a model plant coming up at Soolai adopting advanced
FPSTAR technology developed by a Bengaluru-based laboratory, treatment
facilities will be established at the identified points along canals and
rivers where sewage and industrial effluent was being let in. The
plants are envisaged at vulnerable points along the Perumpallam and
Pichakaranpallam canals, besides embankments of Bhavani and Cauvery
rivers, the sources said.

The model plant featuring two units with
capacity to treat 1.2 lakh litres each per day using Aquatron Boomtube
Resonator is touted to be the first plant in the State to convert sewage
wastes and industrial effluent into foodgrade water. The facility is
slated for commissioning during April.

In the meantime, the
Pollution Control Board, which has been testing water samples in the
rivers every month to check the extent of Total Dissolved Solids, is
learnt to be urging the 30 tannery units in and around Erode town to
adopt waterless chrome tanning technology advocated by Central Leather
Research Institute.

A
Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Erode Tannery Owners’
Association and Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) for deploying
the technology-infusion to contain pollution.

The new technology has already been trial tested successfully in a few industries in Erode district.

The
CLRI had promised to establish a common facility centre for the units
with aid from the Ministry of Mirco, Small and Medium Enterprises. The
technology, CLRI scientists have assured, will lead to enormous saving
of water.