After weeks of regulatory scrutiny, Tata Electronics has confirmed that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has dropped further action against its iPhone components manufacturing facility in Hosur after the company addressed concerns related to wastewater discharge and alleged contamination.
The issue emerged after the state pollution authority warned the company of possible shutdown action unless it explained findings from government inspections that suggested wastewater discharge had contaminated open wells located in nearby agricultural land. The investigation was initiated following complaints from local farmers.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Tata Electronics said the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board confirmed that the company “has satisfactorily addressed all queries mentioned” in the notice and had therefore “dropped any further course of action on this issue”.
The company also stated that recent water samples collected from its Hosur facility and analysed by the pollution authority showed no signs of contamination. According to Tata Electronics, the board confirmed that its analysis of the samples “do not indicate any contamination”.
To support its response, the company commissioned an independent assessment through an accredited laboratory. Tata said the results showed that all measured parameters were within prescribed limits, and the findings were submitted to the pollution authority as part of its formal explanation.
The Hosur facility, located around 25 miles south of Bengaluru, plays an important role in Apple’s manufacturing expansion in India. The plant produces back panels and other key components used in iPhones as part of Apple’s strategy to diversify production beyond China.
Earlier, the pollution control authority had alleged that wastewater was discharged into a rainwater harvesting pond within the facility. According to the authority, the pond overflowed and contaminated “groundwater in the open wells located in the adjacent agricultural lands”.
The development comes amid a series of operational challenges within Apple’s India supply chain. In September 2024, a fire at Tata’s Hosur facility temporarily disrupted iPhone component production. In September 2023, a fire at an iPhone manufacturing plant operated by a former supplier also halted production for several days.
The case also highlights increased environmental oversight in India’s manufacturing sector. In 2024, another global automobile manufacturer implemented improvements in wastewater and air pollution management at its Indian factory after authorities identified compliance gaps.
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