Kuldip Singh, J. - (1.) This petition - public interest - under Art. 32 of the Constitution of India has been filed by Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum and is directed against the pollution which is being caused by enormous discharge of untreated effluent by the tanneries and other industries in the State of Tamil Nadu. It is stated that the tanneries are discharging untreated effluent into agricultural fields, road-sides, water-ways and open lands. The untreated effluent is finally discharged in river Palar which is the main source of water supply to the residents of the area. According to the petitioner the entire surface and sub-soil water of river Palar has been polluted resulting in non-availability of potable water to the residents of the area. It is stated that the tanneries in the State of Tamil Nadu have caused environmental degradation in the area. According to the preliminary survey made by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Research Centre Vellore nearly 35,000 hectares of agricultural land in the Tanneries Belt, has become either partially or totally unfit for cultivation. It has been further stated in the petition that the tanneries use about 170 types of chemicals in the chrome tanning processes. The said chemicals include sodium chloride, lime, sodium sulphate, chlorium sulphate, fat liquor Ammonia and sulphuric acid besides dyes which are used in large quantities. Nearly 35 litres of water is used for processing one kilogram of finished leather, resulting in dangerously enormous quantities of toxic effluents being let out in the open by the tanning industry. These effluents have spoiled the physico-chemical properties of the soil, and have contaminated ground water by percolation. According to the petitioner an independent survey conducted by Peace Members, a non-governmental organisation, covering 13 villages of Dindigal and Peddiar Chatram Anchayat Unions, reveals that 350 wells out of total of 467 used for drinking and irrigation purposes have been polluted. Women and children have to walk miles to get drinking water. Legal aid and Advice Board of Tamil Nadu requested two lawyers namely, M. R. Ramanan and P. S. Subramanium to visit the area and submit a report indicating the extent of pollution caused by the tanneries. Relevant part of the report is as under:-"As per the Technical Report dated 28-5-1993 of the Hydrological Investigations carried out in Solur village near Ambur it was noticed that 176 chemicals including acids were contained in the Tannery effluents. If 40 litres of water with chemicals are required for one Kilo of Leather, with the production of 200 tons of Leather per day at present and likely to be increased multifold in the next four to five years with the springing up of more tanneries like mushroom in and around Ambur Town, the magnitude of the effluent water used with chemicals and acids let out daily can be shockingly imagined....... The effluents are let out from the tanneries in the nearby lands, then to Goodar and Palar rivers. The lands, the rivulet and the river receive the effluents containing toxic chemicals and acids. The sub soil water is polluted ultimately affecting not only arable lands, wells used for agriculture but also drinking water wells. The entire Ambur Town and the villages situated nearby do not have good drinking water. Some of the influential and rich people are able to get drinking water from a far off place connected by a few pipes. During rainy days and floods, the chemicals deposited into the rivers and lands spread out quickly to other lands, the effluents thus let out, affect cultivation, either crops do not come up at all or if produced the yield is reduced abnormally too low...... The Tanners have come to stay. The industry is a Foreign Exchange Earner. But one moot point is whether at the cost of the lives of lakhs of people with increasing human population the activities of the tanneries should be encouraged on monetary considerations. We find that the tanners have absolutely no regard for the healthy environment in and around their tanneries. The effluents discharged have been stored like a pond openly in the most of the places adjacent to cultivable lands with easy access for the animals and the people. The Ambur Municipality, which can exercise its powers as per the provisions of the Madras District Municipalities Act (1920) more particularly under Ss. 226 to 231, 249 to 253 and 338 to 342 seems to be a silent spectator probably it does not want to antagonise the highly influential and stupendously rich tanners. The powers given under S. 63 of the Water Prevention and Control and Pollution Act 1974 (6 of 1974) have not been exercised in the case of tanneries in Ambur and the surrounding areas."
(2.) Along with the affidavit dated July 21, 1992 filed by Deputy Secretary to Government, Environment and Forests Department of Tamil Nadu, a list of villages affected by the tanneries has been attached. The list mentions 59 villages in the three Divisions of Thirupathur, Vellore and Ranipath. There is acute shortage of drinking water in these 59 villages and as such alternative arrangements were being made by the Government for the supply of drinking water.
(3.) In the affidavit dated January 9, 1992 filed by Member Secretary, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (the Board), it has been stated as under:- "It is submitted that there are 584 tanneries in North Arcot Ambedkar District vide annexure "A" and "D". Out of which 443 Tanneries have applied for consent of the Board. The Government were concerned with the treatment and disposal of effluent from tanneries. The Government gave time upto 31-7-1985 to tanneries to put up Effluent Treatment Plant (E.T.P.). So far 33 tanneries in North Arcot Ambedkar District have put up effluent Treatment Plant. The Board has stipulated standards for the effluent to be disposed by the tanneries." ;