Chennai, March 30: The Madras High Court today come down heavily on a body of Tirupur dyeing factories “for abusing the process of court” after they sought relief which in effect would nullify its judgement ordering closure of over 720 units for causing pollution and imposed a cost of Rs 15,000.
“Though at the first blush the relief sought for by the association appears to be innocuous, these petitions are a clear abuse and misuse of the process of court,” the court said dismissing the petitions filed by the Tirupur Dyeing Factories Owners Association.
“We are constrained to say so because the Association indirectly seek to nullify the judgment of January 28 in the contempt petitions in which the petitioner association was impleaded as a contemnor,” a bench comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam said.
The court ordered the association to deposit Rs 15,000 in the account of the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority by April 6.
Taking serious view of continued discharge of untreated effluents into Noyyal River, the court had on January 28 directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to immediately close down over 720 dyeing and bleaching units in Tirupur, a major hosiery hub and export centre near Coimbatore.
Besides, it had also directed disconnection of electricity supply to the units.
The association had filed miscellaneous petitions seeking reliefs including appointment of a technical committee of experts to suggest implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) effectively and granting extension of time by nine months for achieving 100 per cent ZLD and consequently permitting the opening of bleaching and dyeing units.
The Bench pointed out that its January 28 order stipulated that in respect of units which fulfilled all conditions could approach the TNPCB seeking consent order to operate and such unit should be continuously and closely monitored in order to ensure strict compliance of the order.
“Therefore, if any of the members of the petitioner association have fulfilled the conditions, it was always open to them to approach the Board for necessary orders,” it said.
The court said it was of the firm view that the present petitions had been filed to some how get over the Janary 28 order. The petitioner being an association of factory owners, a registered body, could not be allowed to misuse the jurisdiction of the court and indirectly attempt to secure relief which if sought for directly was not maintainable.
——–PTI