V NarayanaMurthi Vellore The CPI (M) will focus on the problem of pollution from tanneries in the district. The issue is complicated by the fact that many of the tanneries are owned by a particular community which could give it a communal spin No party in power had taken any step either to prevent industrial pollution that had affected the lives of thousands of people here or to reverse the damage caused to the ecology of the Palar river THE Communist Party of India (Marxist) has brought the issue of pollution from tanneries, that have affected underground and overground water resources in Vellore, into focus for the first time by introducing it as their major election plank. The pollution issue here has a strange communal spin associated with it as the Muslim community runs a majority of the tanning industries and also form a substantial part of the work force for the industry. Any attempt to thrash out a solution to this technical issue in the past have been hindered by misgivings over the possibility of such a discussion leading to unrest among Hindus and Muslims. Political parties have thus, safely avoided talking about this issue during the elections. It is interesting that the CPM has now chosen to tackle this issue. It is a move that may land the party in a soup if its ally, the AIADMK, decides to field a Muslim candidate who may not wish to rake up this sensitive issue in the election.