Action taken following complaints by local people The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) personnel removed 10 jiggers and the three illegal dyeing units that were using them at Samayasangili in Pallipalayam Union, Tiruchengode Taluk, on Thursday. TNPCB officials said that the units were directly dumpling effluents into River Cauvery using pipelines. “Two oil engines and two generators used by the units were also destroyed. The drive was conducted based on complaints received by people of that locality on pollution of the river by those units,” District Environmental Engineer (DEE), of the TNPCB, M. Murugan told The Hindu . He said that the machines were erected in the middle of agricultural lands with thick sugarcane cultivation. “This made it easy for the units to remain hidden and continue polluting the river. The land was leased to them by Iyavu, a farmer of that locality.” he said. The DEE added that these units that were located very close to River Cauvery also buried heavy plastic pipes, through which they discharged the effluent into the river. Pipelines “The pipelines were buried about seven feet from the ground level and were removed with the help of earth movers,” he said. Mr. Murugan said that the pipes were removed from the river and its banks. “The rest of the pipelines buried below the sugarcane fields will be removed after the canes are harvested,” he added. TNPCB officials said that the drive was carried out from 9.30 a.m. to noon. The eviction drive could not be carried out for long as the officials could be provided only minimum police strength. “We were informed that many police personnel from the district have been deployed for the security arrangements in Srirangam,” they said and added that more dyeing units functioning in that locality would be identified and dismantled with the support of additional police personnel.