CHENNAI: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has welcomed the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court's decision to appoint noted water conservationist Rajendra Singh to study the issue of waste discharge into the Thamirabarani River, while sharply criticising the DMK government for its failure to protect the river.
In a statement, Anbumani said that the High Court observed that the steps taken by the Tamil Nadu government to prevent sewage and industrial waste from entering the Tamirabarani were unsatisfactory.
Hearing petitions filed by water expert Muthalankurichi Kamaraj and others, a division bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and Pugazhendi noted that despite repeated directions to the State government, district administration, Water Resources Department and Pollution Control Board over the past year, there had been no meaningful progress.
Anbumani added that the court appointed Rajendra Singh, popularly known as India's 'Water Man' and a Ramon Magsaysay Award winner, as Court Commissioner to conduct a detailed study and submit recommendations.
"Thamirabarani, once revered as a life-giving and disease-curing river, has now become a source of pollution due to unchecked dumping of sewage, industrial effluents and solid waste.
Even after earlier court orders and assurances from local bodies, the government has failed to stop pollution, " he alleged. Accusing the DMK government of apathy towards protecting Tamil Nadu's only perennial river, he said it should be held accountable.
Anbumani expressed confidence that Rajendra Singh would propose effective solutions and assured that PMK would take steps to implement his recommendations in full during the next government.