The MoEF has issued a showcause notification to the detergent firm, Nirma Ltd company, revoking their environment clearance to set up a cement factory at the Padhiarka village in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district. The 1.91 million tonne per annum cement factory, with its coke oven and captive power plants, was being built over the Samadhiyala reservoir which had been constructed by the government to provide water for irrigation purposes to the local farmers.
The local farmers had led an agitation spearheaded by BJP MLA Kanu Kalsaria protesting the allotment of 268 hectares which were part of the reservoir.
“We welcome the timely action the Union ministry has taken on the cement plant issue. We don’t want any cement factory in our area because that will destroy our agriculture. Presently, we are on a 350 km long march from Mahuva to Gandhinagar and 2000 farmers have joined the march,” said Dr Kalsaria.
According to him, the Modi government has allocated 3,500 hectare lands for mining and over 200 hectare for setting up the factory. “The area also has a water body which provides irrigation and also prevents salinity ingress,” he said.
“The proposed cement plant will provide employment to a few hundred people while depriving livelihood of thousands of people,” said former Gujarat finance minister Sanat Mehta, who has also supported the farmers’ agitation. The issue has become a tricky problem for the Modi government.