taking serious note of the fact that hundreds of electroplating units operating in non-conforming and residential areas at Faridabad in Haryana have failed to move out despite legal notices served to them, the Haryana Pollution Control Board (hpcb) has now served an ultimatum to the polluting units to relocate or face closure by the end of March 2002.

It is estimated that more than 400 such units are functioning in areas such as Jawahar colony, Ballabgarh town, Sanjay Nagar and Dabua colony. According to the action plan of the hpcb , these units were supposed to be shifted to Sector 58 some time ago. About 400 plots were developed for the purpose.

As the units continue discharging their waste, the underground water pollution is increasing rapidly. A recent report of Central Ground Water Board (cgwb) reveals that 75 per cent of the underground water in the district has been affected.