Industrial Pollution and Economic Compensation : A  Study of Down Stream Villages in Noyyal River, Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, South India

Abstract:

Tirupur is an Indian textile town which constitutes many dyeing and bleaching units situated in the upstream. Tirupur serves as one of the major exporters of textiles. The industrial pollution have affected not only the surface water but also the soils and ground water. This thesis studies the impacts of industrial pollution on agriculture and livestock. It also explores the implicated problems involved in putting an economic compensation mechanism into practise. The impact study was made on the detailed primary data collected from an intensive study of comparing a pollution affected villages located downstream of the Orathapalyam dam, Tamil Nadu, South India with a control village. The cost estimates that the impact of industrial pollution on predominant crops is quite substantial in monetary terms. This paper argues that the compensation principle might work if the assessment is done to all affected victims. Both quantifying and non quantifying benefits should be incurred in the mechanism. Further, mere passing of fines and creating institutional structures are not sufficient to address the environmental problems. Policies should be implemented in their right perspective. Institutions should be strong enough, with more autonomy and powers, to deal with problems and to monitor the RO plants in dyeing units in Tirupur.