All foundries located in the primary residential area of Coimbatore city were told to close down immediately by the green bench of the Madras High Court on March 8. The court directed the state pollution control board (PCB) to take immediate steps to implement the order within a month. In December, the PCB had been directed by the court to identify the foundry units in and around Coimbatore. Out of 535 units, 161 are situated in the primary residential area. Only 173 of the total number of units had applied for consent from the PCB, which had been granted to 114.