In May 2020, The Hindu reported that the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of India's Environment Ministry recommended a reverse osmosis plant of the Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board (TWAD) at Kuthiraimozhi, Ramanathapuram, for coastal zone (CRZ) clearance. The plant was designed for 60,000 m³/d. An earlier bid failed as the site lay only 25 metres from the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park. The new design moved intake and outfall out of the protected zone. Counter Flow Reverse Osmosis was to cut brine from 94,520 to 42,000 m³/d.
The report showed how brine disposal decided the approval of a coastal plant: only with a relocated outfall, lagoons for salt production and less brine did the project win the recommendation.
Source: The Hindu (Kopie im Webarchiv)