Uniform pollution norms across the country sought

The foundry sector in the region today urged the Centre to evolve a uniform pollution norm with regard to issuing licences.
The pollution norms differed state to state and created problem in the functioning of industries, which affected the continuity, since the licence was renewed every year, Swaminathan, Chairman of organising committee of 64th Indian Foundry Congress, to be held here from January 29, told reporters here.
The region being number one in the Country, with 600 units, was facing the problem of pollution as the sector was placed in red category.
However, almost all the industries have modernised and installed latest technology to control the pollution, he said.

Stating that pollution being a state subject, there were different norms for it and the Centre should come out with a uniform norm, he said that considering the size of the industry, the renewal period can be increased to five, medium two years and and those who have not complied with these norms one year.
Another major problem being faced by the industry was huge gap of manpower, Nithyanandan Devaraj, Chairman, Southern Region, Institute of Indian Foundrymen, the organisors of the congress, said, adding that the sector was managing with the migrant workes from Odisha and Bihar, who stayed for 11 months.

The schemes and benefits being implemented by the Government were not not percolating down to the supply chain and end users, he claimed.
The foundry production in India has crossed 10 million tonnes and occupied third place in the world, with 15 to 20 per cent exports, he said.