Gopalapuram villagers accuse cooperative sugar mill of discharging contaminated wastewater; probe on

Dharmapuri: Gopalapuram villagers were alarmed after a cow died and three other cows in the village in Dharmapuri fell ill on Wednesday. Locals believe the issue stemmed from the cows drinking contaminated water discharged by a cooperative sugar mill near Pappireddipatti. Residents have accused the Subramania Siva Cooperative Sugar Mill Limited (SSCL) of discharging untreated wastewater in the locality. Villagers say the wastewater discharge has impacted approximately 200 acres of land and 20 wells behind the mill. They added that it produces a strong odor which causes significant distress to those living nearby. The foul smell has even led to allergies among both children and adults, making it difficult to remain in their homes. Locals have urged the district administration to intervene and stop the mill from polluting the environment. "We have lost trust in the sugarcane management as they have failed to keep their promises," said V Govindasamy, the owner of the cow which died. Residents further demanded that the district administration ensure proper treatment of the wastewater discharged from the mill. They have also demanded appropriate compensation for the damaged crops. However, SSCL's managing director, R Priya, told TOI that the mill had halted operations from January 12 to 22 for Pongal. "We have not released any untreated water from the plant," she asserted, suggesting that the contamination might be due to water seepage from springs in the locality which were replenished during recent rains.Meanwhile, the veterinary department performed an autopsy on the dead cow, and the report is awaited. Officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) collected water samples from the land and wells to investigate the source of contamination.