Dyeing sector in ‘Textile City’ deprives of basic infra

Tall claims of providing better basic infrastructures to the industrialists are not withstanding on ground in the globally known ‘Textile City’. Broken roads, defunct street lights, and poor cleanliness have become the identity of designated Dyeing sector 29, part-2 here.

The industrial sectors- 29 part-1, part-2, Sector 25 part-1, part-2 were developed by the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) but these industrial sectors have been transferred to the Haryana State Industrial Infrastructure and Development Corporation (HSIIDC) for maintenance three years ago.

The city has an overall business of handloom and textile products of approximately Rs 55,000 crore including around 20,000 crore of export only. Over 20,000 small and big units run here in which over 4 lakh labourers are working.

All industries here are linked to each other and the dyeing is considered to be the mother units of all textile and handloom products.

The HSVP (the then HUDA) had developed a separate Dyeing sector in 2003 with 779 industrial plots in Sector 29 part-2 during the INLD government regime for the dyers scattered in the city all around. The government had provided canal water to the dyers to meet their purpose.

Approximately, 40 million litre per day (MLD) water discharged in the dyeing sector. But this alone dyeing sector was depriving of basic amenities for a long time. Lakhs of labourers and industrialists were forced to face a lot of problems in their daily routine.

The water, which contained high hazard chemicals used in the dyeing process, is mandatory to send to the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) but, the main sewage line was choked at several places and this contaminated water flows on roads in several internal roads of the sectors.

Bheem Rana, President, Haryana Environment Management Society and former President Panipat Dyers’ Association said that sector 29-part-2 was in utter neglect. As all the roads were lying broken, sewages were not cleaned for a long time due to which the untreated effluent is flowing on the main roads.

This is the only sector in the state, which has no potable water facility since its establishment and no potable water pipelines were laid here by HSVP. Apart from it, the sector has plunged into darkness every evening as street lights never got functional here.

Scores of overseas buyers visited industrial units before giving their orders, but they went back with the negative image in their minds after seeing the pitiable condition of the sector, Rana added.

Nitin Arora, President, Panipat Dyers’ Association said that the sector is in the worst condition due to officials’ apathy. It has been divided into three separate departments – Municipal Corporation, HSVP and HSIIDC.

We have raised our genuine issues of providing basic infrastructure- roads, sewage, street lights and potable water, maintenance of parks at all the platforms several times but to no avail, he said.

The members of association recently met the Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda for our demands and he assured to resolve the issues on priority, he said.

Mahipal Dhanda, Education Minister said that the issues in the industrial sectors would be resolved on priority. The main issue for maintenance works is MoU between HSIIDC and MC, which was pending for a long time, resolved, he said.

Dr Pankaj Yadav, Commissioner, MC said that MoU with the HSIIDC was pending for over one year and after assuming the charge as Commissioner, the MoU for operation and maintenance has been signed with the HSIIDC.

Now, HSIIDC can do the maintenance of basic existing infrastructure on their own upto Rs one crore, in the industrial sectors and the MC would pay for it, the Commissioner said.

If work is more than Rs one crore then HSIIDC has to take permission from the MC Commissioner as per the MoU, Commissioner Dr Yadav maintained.