A Supreme Court order issued on April 7 to adopt permanent pollution control measures within 6 months or face closure and pay fines, has targeted 350-odd foundries in West Bengal. Temporary measures will be in place within 2 months.

For the foundry owners, who are already floundering under a severe resource crunch and dismal work, conditions, this directive comes as a severe blow. They have enli4ed the support of an agency based in Jamshedpur for devising permanent measures.