Over 250 women protesting against Nirma cement plant detained in Bhavnagar

Over 250 women protesting against the upcoming cement plant of Nirma Ltd in Bhavnagar district were detained by the police today.

"We have detained over 250 women who tried to take out a march toward the state assembly," Gandhinagar police control room officers said.

Nirma Ltd is building a cement plant with a capacity of 1.91 million tonnes per annum, along with its captive power and coke oven plant, near Padhiarka village in Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar district.

The women, protesting against the plant, alleged that the plant is being built on a natural water body and if allowed to be constructed would destroy their agriculture and animal husbandry besides causing "irreparable" damage to the environment.

Yesterday, around 5,000 farmers, who had walked over 350 km from Dholiya village of Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar, to Gandhinagar submitted a memorandum to chief minister Narendra Modi requesting cancellation of permission granted to the plant.

The farmers are staying put in Gandhingar and today morning the women of the group proceeded toward the assembly.

"The women were stopped near Pathik Ashram in the state capital and more than 250 of them were detained," police officials said adding that they have been kept in Gandhinagar police headquarters and will be released later.