The MoEF has permanently revoked the environment clearance certificate that was granted to Nirma on December 11, 2008 for a cement factory.
The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) on Wednesday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that it had cancelled the environment clearance given to Nirma Limited for a cement plant in Mahuva, Bhavnagar district.
“The MoEF has permanently revoked the environment clearance certificate that was granted to Nirma on December 11, 2008 for a cement factory,” said Anand Yagnik, counsel for Shree
Mahua Bandhara Khetiwadi Pariyavaran Bachav Samittee.
Yagnik further said that the Union ministry had filed an affidavit in the Apex Court stating that it had taken the decision after considering the opinion of the experts committee set up for the purpose and hearing all parties on the issue. The committee whose opinion was taken into consideration included the seven-member Experts Appraisal Committee set up on the Supreme Court’s order, and the recommendations of other experts, the lawyer said. The Union ministry has also stated that it had taken the decision to cancel the environment clearance on December 1, 2011, and that it had informed the company that no further construction should be made on the disputed site.
Earlier, the Experts Appraisal Committee had concluded in its report that the proposed site for the factory consists of a water body and wetland. It had further said that construction of a cement plant here could affect the economy of the region.
This was a major blow to Nirma Limited as well as to the Gujarat government which had allocated land to the company and extended it all support during the legal battle. The Union ministry's decision is a major victory for BJP MLA from Mahuva, Dr Kanu Kalsariya, who has been spearheading the movement against the plant for the welfare of local farmers. Further hearing of the case will be conducted on Friday when the Supreme Court will take a decision in the matter.
The Gujarat government had allotted 268 hectares of land for the cement plant to Nirma Limited. However, the farmers opposed the government's decision expressing fears that the plant could adversely affect the environment and the availability of underground water in the region. Earlier, the farmers' Samittee had filed a PIL before the Gujarat high court in 2009.
After a long legal battle, a two-judge bench of the court had given the green signal to the plant on the condition that the consumer giant surrendered 100 hectares of land that consisted of the water body.
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