Expressing concern over the delay in construction of Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Perundurai SIPCOT, the Perundurai SIPCOT Affected People’s Welfare Association has urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to intervene and ensure that the project is implemented as per the original tender conditions.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, association coordinator S. Chinnasamy said that G.O. No. 218 was issued on November 20, 2023, approving the CETP at an estimated cost of ₹40 crore. Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin later announced that the project would be completed within six to eight months. The project cost was subsequently revised to ₹136.76 crore, with the contractor mandated to construct and operate the CETP for five years. The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the project at a function on June 11, 2025. However, no construction work has begun, causing frustration among local residents.
The association alleged that while seeking Consent to Establish (CTE) from the TNPCB, SIPCOT had diluted key technical specifications. The tender document specifies a water quality design parameter of up to 9,000 parts per million (PPM), whereas the CTE application reportedly mentions only 6,500 PPM. Equipment originally designed for 20 hours of daily operation is now being sought under a 24-hour model, and the mandated 5 tonne-per-hour (TPH) boiler is allegedly being replaced with a 2 TPH unit.
