Nirma to challenge environment ministry in Supreme Court

Ahmedabad-based chemicals manufacturer Nirma is set to move the Supreme Court in its ongoing tussle with the environment ministry over constructing a cement plant in a wetland, according to sources in the ministry.

“They tried to get a stay from the Gujarat high court, but could not. We expect them to approach the Supreme Court tomorrow,” said a ministry official, based on information given to the ministry by the company.

On Tuesday, the ministry, which last week issued a stop-work notice against the plant in Gujarat, expressed its displeasure after Nirma vice-president VN Desai challenged the ministry’s jurisdiction in the matter.

According to Desai, since the matter is being fought out between environmentalists and the company in the Supreme Court, the ministry should not have slapped a stop work order.

"The assumption of jurisdiction thus is not only uncalled for, unwarranted and unjust, but is clearly in an attempt to overreach the order of the Supreme Court,” he had said in his reply to the ministry’s notice.