Infrastructure works: CAAIIUC awaits upgradation

CHENNAI: The Chennai Auto Ancillary Industrial Infrastructure Up-gradation Company (CAAIIUC) has appealed to the State and Central governments to allot funds towards execution of infrastructure works like installation of Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP), skill development centres and tertiary water treatment plants.Having made proposals to the Central government and the department of medium and small scale industries of the State government to overcome a shortage of Rs 13.61 crore, CAAIIUC is awaiting the nod from the government to upgrade the infrastructure at the three industrial estates located at Ambattur, Thirumazhisai and Thirumudivakkam. It has also made proposals to the State government to extend the Metro Rail project to Ambattur, in addition to operating mini buses to shuttle between different points within the industrial estate, with a view to help industries overcome the manpower shortage.Stating that the upgradation works carried out by CAAIIUC since 2007 in industrial estates like Ambattur have improved the road conditions, under-ground drainage, street lighting and the sewerage treatment, Dilip Kumbhat, Chairman of CAAIIUC said, “Construction of Storm Water Drains (SWDs) and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in Ambattur has helped the industries overcome several issues and we are planning to set up a common ETP with a capacity of 100 Kilo Litres per Day (KLD) and a new tertiary plant, keeping in mind the directives of the pollution control board.”He further expressed concern that the widened roads have become a cause for congestion in Ambattur, since commuters use the road as a bye-pass.Meanwhile, Thyagarajan, vice-chairman of CAAIIUC, said that maintenance of the facilities has become a major issue because of the lack of co-operation from the neighboring villages. “The sewage from the six villages around Ambattur and from the municipality are let into the SWDs of the estate and the people of Korattur and other areas blame the industries for sewage flow from SWDs,” he said. He added that a few industries in the estate mixed effluents to the sewage, thereby creating problems during the treatment of sewage. As many as 13 meetings have been conducted to create awareness among the industries, said one of the members of CAAIIUC. The CAAIIUC is also waiting for the government funds to set up a convention centre and a skill development centre at Ambattur. The members further stated that the stakeholders and the unit holders paid for the maintenance works and also paid property tax to the municipality. “According to a government order, the municipality is supposed to pay 50 lakh every year to SIDCO for maintenance. But the order remains only on paper, since the municipality has ceased paying the amount after two installments”, said the members of the organisation.The CAAIIUC has also pledged to bring Ambattur estate under a green belt in two years by planting saplings all over. “We have identified ten varieties of trees to be planted across the estate and initially at least five to seven thousand trees will be planted in the 1,200-acre industrial estate in one year, starting from next month. The number will be increased in the coming years, bringing the Ambattur estate under a complete green cover,” Dilip Kumbhat told  City Express.