Garment units around Bellandur in a tizzy after NGT's closure order

Most of the units were said to have shifted from Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu

A day after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the state government to close industries around Bellandur lake, several garment factories involved in dyeing and washing clothes were in a state of panic.

The NGT ordered closure of 97 garment units which are polluting the city’s biggest waterbody. Most of them are small units on Haralur Road, Kudlu Gate and Bommanahalli and have moved here from Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu after the government there cracked down on them.

A prominent fabric company with its head office in Bengaluru has 30 units across the city. Soon after the NGT order, its officials visited all the units asking their staff not to let out any untreated effluents.
Requesting anonymity, an executive of the company said: “We do not know whether we are among those named in the list of 97 units but we are taking extra precautions. Since morning, our superiors have been visiting all our units.”

Karnataka State Industrial Development Corporation chairperson C M Dhananjaya said he will call on Bengaluru Development Minister K J George and request him to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.

Karnataka State Pollution Control Board chairman Lakshman said the board is yet to receive the order copy but notices have already been sent to all the polluters.

FKCCI hails NGT
President of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) M C Dinesh hailed the verdict saying FKCCI never encourages or protects those polluting the environment.

He said some industries, which moved here from Tiruppur are the culprits and have thrived here due to patronage from powerful people.

He, however, pointed out that industries doing their business honestly should not suffer.

“There are lots of challenges these days. Employment generation has come down in the state and Bescom has increased the rates. Closure would impact the employment scenario,” said Dinesh.

Joseph Crasta, past president of FKCCI, who echoed Dinesh’s sentiments on the units from Tiruppur, said the NGT verdict was good for the city.