When the monsoon rains come in July and August, an acid lake spreads through the neighborhood, which also is home to a squatter community of hundreds of people. The streets run black with chemical wastes. Residents wade through acid solutions sometimes up to knee-deep. We have no choice. New Delhi officials long ago promised to clean up the area, but made no progress.
Factory owners are to contribute half the cost.
The local government has allotted land for the proposed plant and work is expected to start soon. The project also is to include construction of proper drainage and the paving of roads. No date for completion has been set. Industrialized countries have switched from acid baths to an advanced and safer electroplating system. But, with India's low labor costs, that process would increase manufacturing costs for Indian steel makers.