चेन्नई,
Tamil Nadu सरकार ने sensitive coastal aquifer zones में नियमों में ढील दी है, अब “white industries” (environment-friendly, low-pollution) को स्थापित करने की अनुमति है, जो पहले केवल small-scale/cottage activities तक सीमित थे।
📌 Key points:
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White industries: negligible/no environmental impact, 609 categories
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Allowed units: bicycle assembly, bio-fertiliser & bio-pesticide (no inorganic chemicals), cotton/woollen hosiery, light engineering & fabrication, leather goods manufacturing, used cooking oil collection, vehicle scrap centers 🚲🛠️
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Earlier: only small residential, shops, schools, hostels, cottage industries (<8 workers, <5 HP machinery)
⚠️ Experts caution:
Expansion in fragile aquifer zones may threaten Chennai’s groundwater sustainability, especially along the coast where saltwater intrusion is a concern 🌊💧
📍 Affected areas: Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Neelankarai, Okkiam Thuraipakkam, Injambakkam, Karapakkam, Sholinganallur, Uthandi – vital groundwater recharge belt
💡 Background:
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May 2025: White industries exempted from TNPCB clearances
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Studies show ~250 acres of no-development coastal zone lost since 2011
