More than 200 farmers have been arrested for trying to gherao the tahsildar's office to protest against the renewal of the licence of the plant, which is scheduled to expire in March, alleging that the effluents discharged from an iron and steel plant near Palladam pose a risk of infection.
Palladam: Police arrested more than 200 people, including civilians, who gheraoed the tahsildar's office protesting against the renewal of licence at an iron and steel plant near Palladam in Tiruppur district.
Kannappan Ion Stills, a plant that melts old iron, has been functioning for the past 14 years in Anupatty village near Palladam.
It is said that the plant is operating illegally without obtaining the approval of the Environment Impact Assessment Authority and no green rings have been set up around the plant.
Moreover, the public claims that the waste is dumped in the open without proper treatment and the infection is on the rise among the public due to excessive emission of smoke at night.
Meanwhile, it was announced that the residents of Anuppatti village and the Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association will stage a protest in front of the Tahsildar's office today, demanding that the licence to operate the plant should not be issued again as the licence for the plant expires in March.
More than 200 police personnel, led by Palladam Deputy Superintendent of Police Soumya, have been deployed at the Palladam Tahsildar's office since morning.
The police arrested the residents of Anupatty village and the Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association when they tried to gherao the tahsildar's office and stage a protest.
The arrested persons were taken in a van and kept in a private marriage hall.