Residents of Sulur and Pothipalayam villages on Monday urged the district administration to cancel the licence of foundries that were flouting the norms and regulations laid down by the Pollution Control Board.

In a petition to the Collector, T.N. Hariharan, the villagers said nearly 50 foundries in and around the two villages were letting out the effluents without proper treatment. “As a result, water and soil have been polluted very badly. Though the foundries have been functioning for the last 15 year, the ill-effects are being felt now only. We lodged complained with the Pollution Control Board so many times, but no action has been taken so far,” said Ko. Ramasami, one of the petitioners said.

According to S. Soundarajan, a farmer, life has become very difficult for the villagers. “Water is completely polluted. It is black in colour. We cannot use it for domestic or agriculture purposes. Neither can cattle consume it,” he said and added that the administration should take stern action against the foundries that flout the PCB norms by cancelling their licence – which was supported by the villagers.