The long-pending request of the farmers from Kanniyakumari district to establish a scent factory at the Floriculture Research Station (FRS) in Thovalai has remained stalled for over seven years.
While the farmers from the region have consistently urged for the implementation of the project, officials have pointed to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board's (TNPCB) nonchalant attitude to issue No Objection Certificate for the implementation of the project, citing various environmental and safety concerns.
According to sources, the scent factory planned at FRS aims to extract concentrates from flowers which will be supplied to factories for commercial purposes such as for the making of aroma oils, perfumes, etc,.
Established in 2008, the FRS in Thovalai is the first research station dedicated to flowers in a plain region. The station has been actively engaged in experimenting various projects for the benefit of the floriculturist and individuals involved in utilising the byproduct of the flowers.
Read more at The Hindu