Overview
- Farmers first complained in a December 8 letter that wastewater from the Tata Electronics Hosur plant fouled streams, ponds and wells, triggering multiple state inspections through May.
- The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board issued a warning on May 25 that the plant could face closure but, after Tata submitted test results, the board this week said it would not pursue further action.
- District health officials have kept a separate probe open since late May; a May 27 medical officer’s letter reported foul smells and water “unsuitable for animals,” and a May 30 lab report found two farm samples positive for E. coli.
- Reuters on-site visits recorded black or green scummy water near fields, farmer claims of crop damage and an account that a December pump failure at the plant’s treatment unit allowed overflow into a nearby pond and lake.
- The plant makes iPhone back covers and other parts for Apple, so ongoing tests, limited public comment from Tata and Apple, and the health probe create reputational and operational risks for local communities and the broader supply chain.