Nirma receives setback; it’s proposed cement plant on ‘wasteland’ is ‘wetland’

The Nirma Industries received a set back after the Environment Ministry decided that the land in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar area was a ‘wetland’ and an environmentally sensitive area. The company was planning to construct a cement plant on the said land. This is good news for the farmers of that particular area. The ministry came to an outcome after it appointed five scientists, who visited the site and came to this conclusion. The land was initially classified as a ‘wasteland’. The construction of a dyke or bandara converted the coastal saline natural ecosystem into a freshwater ecosystem.
 
According to the experts, the cement plant would harm this ecosystem; thereby hurting both agriculture and booming the biodiversity of the area, especially some globally endangered, which visit the wetlands and also thousands of birds.
 
Nirma, who moved this matter to the court against the Environment Ministry, had an option to challenge the Ministry before the matter was shifted to the Green Tribunal. Dushyant Dave, who is appealing on behalf of Nirma commented that the company has already invested Rs. 150 crore after it received clearance at the initial stage and that the local politicians are creating problem for them. The company had planed to invest another Rs. 450 crore.

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