Agra`s foundry industry on verge of extinction
Vishal Sharma
Agra Agra’s foundry industry, one of the oldest industrial clusters of the country, is dying a slow death. High costs of production, technology change and a stiff competition from big foundries is marring growth of these units, leading to their gradual phase-out.
Today, there are just 200-250 foundry units functioning in the city and its industrial areas. Out of these, close to 100 are defunct due to their inability to shift to the CNG-based manufacturing process. The rest are struggling hard to make ends meet because of the high manufacturing costs required for running CNG-based furnaces.
Now, the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has decided to serve closure notices to over 30 foundry units for not complying with pollution norms.
A UPPCB official said, “Though a lot of foundry units have shifted to CNG, still a large number of them emit poisonous gases and violate pollution norms.”
He said that a survey of all foundry units had been conducted by the board and it was found that in over 30 foundry units that were using CNG as a fuel, the “process emissions” were way beyond the norms.
“A report on the issue was submitted to the UP environment ministry, which directed the board to serve closure notices to these units unless they were willing to comply with the pollution control norms,” he added.
While CNG is considered a clean fuel, the iron casting process has its own emissions and releases gases from catalysts and sulphur, an inherent part of iron ore, that can be harmful to the environment. According to the official, the blacklisted units had failed to take measures to control these emissions.
Accepting the charges framed by the UPPCB against these foundry units, the Agra Iron Founders’ Association (AIFA) has requested the board to give some more time to enable the foundries to develop an indigenous pollution control mechanism. Amar Mittal, chairman, AIFA, said around 80-100 units had adopted the CNG-based iron-casting technology imported from the UK.
“It is within the rights of foundry owners to ask the board for time, so that they can take necessary steps to check air pollution. But, if the board remains adamant on shutting down these units, the association will move court,” he added.
The foundry industry in Agra dates back to the era of the first Mughal emperor, Babar, who had set up a few iron casting units in the town for the casting of cannon balls.
Later, during the British period, this industry flourished and till late 1970s there were close to 1,500 iron casting and foundry units functioning in the town, manufacturing anything from pipes and corrugated sheets to wagon wheels for the Railways.
Today, there are just 200-250 foundry units functioning in the city and its industrial areas. Out of these, close to 100 are defunct due to their inability to shift to the CNG-based manufacturing process. The rest are struggling hard to make ends meet because of the high manufacturing costs required for running CNG-based furnaces.
Now, the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has decided to serve closure notices to over 30 foundry units for not complying with pollution norms.
A UPPCB official said, “Though a lot of foundry units have shifted to CNG, still a large number of them emit poisonous gases and violate pollution norms.”
He said that a survey of all foundry units had been conducted by the board and it was found that in over 30 foundry units that were using CNG as a fuel, the “process emissions” were way beyond the norms.
“A report on the issue was submitted to the UP environment ministry, which directed the board to serve closure notices to these units unless they were willing to comply with the pollution control norms,” he added.
While CNG is considered a clean fuel, the iron casting process has its own emissions and releases gases from catalysts and sulphur, an inherent part of iron ore, that can be harmful to the environment. According to the official, the blacklisted units had failed to take measures to control these emissions.
Accepting the charges framed by the UPPCB against these foundry units, the Agra Iron Founders’ Association (AIFA) has requested the board to give some more time to enable the foundries to develop an indigenous pollution control mechanism. Amar Mittal, chairman, AIFA, said around 80-100 units had adopted the CNG-based iron-casting technology imported from the UK.
“It is within the rights of foundry owners to ask the board for time, so that they can take necessary steps to check air pollution. But, if the board remains adamant on shutting down these units, the association will move court,” he added.
The foundry industry in Agra dates back to the era of the first Mughal emperor, Babar, who had set up a few iron casting units in the town for the casting of cannon balls.
Later, during the British period, this industry flourished and till late 1970s there were close to 1,500 iron casting and foundry units functioning in the town, manufacturing anything from pipes and corrugated sheets to wagon wheels for the Railways.
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