Coimbatore electroplating units to be relocated in 3 mths

More than 30 electroplating units in the city will be relocating themselves to Kurumbapalayam, on the city outskirts, in three months time.

The plans for the relocation have come after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) issued closure orders to over 70 electroplating units a month ago for not complying with pollution norms.

A fortnight ago, TNPCB had issued temporary revocation of closure orders to around 30 of these units.

Speaking to Business Standard, M Gunasekaran, president of the Coimbatore District Electroplaters' Association, said, "The association has purchased 10.25 acres of land at Kurumbapalayam for relocating the units which are now spread across various parts of the city. Individual sites would be allotted to units besides setting up effluent treatment facilities for each unit individually, which may cost around Rs 3 lakh."

The units will shift to the new premises in three months and had already paid Rs 10,000 as bank guarantee, he added. The association has obtained a no-objection certificate from TNPCB and is awaiting the nod from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, to whom it has submitted a similar proposal.

Gunasekaran added that TNPCB is not giving them enough time to relocate and is putting pressure on them without taking into account the financial constraints involved in the process. TNPCB officials were not available for comments.