5 years later, owners of Tiruppur dyeing units await subsidy on electricity tariff – The New Indian Express

Express news service

TIRUPPUR: The owners of dyeing units in Tiruppur reiterated their request for a subsidy to the electricity tariff for the treatment of effluents in communal wastewater treatment plants (CETP). They asked for a subsidy of Rs 4 in the commercial electricity tariff of Rs 6.35 per unit.

Tiruppur Dyers Association (DAT) B CEO Muruga Bhoopathy said: “There are over 510 dyeing units in the district. The effluents from these units are sent to 18 CETP. These factories have capital costs and require energy and specialized labor to operate. and maintenance. Due to these constraints, small dyeing units cannot afford to have their own effluent treatment facilities. Therefore, the effluents from all dyeing units are routed to CETP for treatment.

He said the units shared the operating and maintenance expenses of the CETP. However, the cost of electricity dug a hole in their pocket, he said, explaining that if it costs 25 paise to process a liter of effluent, the electricity tariff is 10 paise. Since the effluent treatment process was environmentally friendly with zero effluent discharge, it would be helpful if the government provided a subsidy of 4 per unit of power. They could pay the remaining charge which is around `2, said Muruga Bhoopathy.

DAT chairman S Nagarajan said dyers have been asking for it for five years. “Dyeing is an important part of the textile and clothing industry. To dye a kilo of fabric, it takes 60 liters of water and costs Rs 15. On average, the cost of electricity to run a single CETP is around Rs 70 lakh per month. For 18 factories, the cost of electricity is Rs 14-15 crore per month. Since the effluent treatment does not result in any chemical release, we are asking the state government to offer subsidies on electricity tariffs. This will directly benefit small dyeing units, thereby reducing the cost of dyeing for the garment industry, ”he said, adding that it would also help curb illegal effluent discharges into farmlands and plans. of water.

Recognizing that the process was environmentally friendly, District Environmental Engineer (Tiruppur) Saravana Kumar said he could not make a recommendation directly to the state government. “Dyers can talk to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board,” he said.

TANGEDCO – Tiruppur S Jawahar chief engineer said the grant was a matter of government policy decision. “The local authorities or the zonal authorities of TNEB or TANGEDCO cannot interfere in the matter. Reducing the electricity tariff is the responsibility of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC). Dyers can apply to the Commission and file a petition with it. Once the Commission asks to be heard, the dyers can explain themselves and seek redress in the form of a reduction in the electricity tariff, ”he suggested.