AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF POLLUTION AND RESOURCE DEPLETION CAUSED BY THE COIR INDUSTRY

ABSTRACT
This dissertation investigates the growing environmental conflict between industrial development and
ecological preservation within the Indian coir industry, specifically focusing on the Coimbatore
Pollachi belt in Tamil Nadu. The study analyzes the environmental degradation—including water
pollution, groundwater depletion, and soil contamination—caused by the shift of the coir industry from
a small-scale cottage sector to a semi-industrialized cluster. By applying established environmental
doctrines such as the Precautionary Principle, the Polluter Pays Principle, and the Public Trust Doctrine,
the research evaluates the efficacy of existing statutory frameworks, including the Water Act (1974),
the Air Act (1981), and the Environment (Protection) Act (1986). It concludes that despite robust
legislative provisions, systemic regulatory failures persist, and it emphasizes the essential role of
judicial intervention in expanding Article 21 of the Constitution to protect the right to a healthy
environment.
Keywords - Coir industry, Environmental law, Industrial pollution, Groundwater depletion, Sustainable
development, Polluter Pays Principle, India, Regulatory enforcement.