The decision has created anxiety in the industry, which employs over 10,000 workers, both directly and indirectly, as it coincides with the upcoming Christmas, Pongal, and New Year business season. Sources said the KSPCB action followed a Lokayukta visit during which violations, such as untreated wastewater being released into drains, were found.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Pollux Mallikarjun, a jeans washing unit owner, said that Ballari has around 500 garment units that manufacture 50,000 jeans every day. “Many people rely on the units for their livelihood, and after Covid-19, the power crisis and water shortage severely impacted production. Now, this notice has come as a shock to us,” he said.
He said that production and supply have already been affected by the closure of the washing units. He also said he had received environmental clearance from KSPCB and was complying with the regulations, but KSPCB officials arrived and shut down operations without conducting a proper inspection.
According to sources from the KSPCB, the concerns were first raised by Deputy Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa during a visit to the Mundargi industrial cluster in Ballari in January. It was found that untreated wastewater was being released into the drains.
“We issued notices to 36 washing units, instructing them to either cease operations or comply with the regulations. Since they did not comply, they were shut down following the proper procedures,” an officer stated.
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) Wednesday ordered 36 jeans washing units in Ballari to shut down and issued notices to 63 others, citing violations of environmental norms.
After the Lokayukta visit, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reportedly directed the finance department to approve Rs 22 crore for installing a common effluent treatment plant (CETP). A government source then said that the project would be funded by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (Rs 11 crore) and the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (Rs 11 crore).
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The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) earlier this year successfully acquired 154 acres of land at Sanjeevarayana Kote, near Ballari, for developing a ‘jeans park’, which Siddaramaiah had assured in the state budget. However, there has been little progress toward establishing the facility.
Also, during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi promised that the government would establish a jeans textile park in Ballari, with an investment of Rs 5,000 crore.