Olpad villagers demand immediate closure polluting cyanide unit

  • | Tuesday | 26th March, 2019

Despite the NGT order setting aside the EC, the HCC is still manufacturing poisonous cyanide and cyanide based products” Surat: Large number of people and farmers from more than 50 villages in Olpaad taluka sat on dharna outside the Hindustan Chemical Company (HCC), which manufacturers cyanide and cyanide-based products, located at Hasanabad Villagers are on a warpath against the company since 2010 have intensified their agitation after three tankers of HCC were caught dumping hazardous chemical at Ummala village in Vankhuta taluka near Bharuch.An FIR in this connection was registered by the Bharuch police. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in January 2018 order had set aside the EC granted to HCC and directed expert appraisal committee (EAC) of MoEF to consider the public concerns expressed during the public hearing held in November-2014.”Patel added, “After the dharna, the farmer leaders visited Bharuch and met the district superintendent of police demanding immediate action against the HCC owners Bharuch SP has assured stringent action against HCC in a very short time”Farmer leader Darshan Naik said, “On behalf of the Olpaad villagers, I am giving ultimatum to the state government to shut the HCC within 15 days or else people will take to the streets. However, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and the Bharuch police are yet to initiate action the owners and officials of the HCC for such serious crime.Gujarat Khedut Samaj (GKS) president Jayesh Patel said the company, which was established in 1982, had increased its production without obtaining environment clearance (EC) from central government on the grounds that that the plant is operating out of the GIDC.In 2014, sarpanches of nearly 108 villages had signed the resolution demanding immediate closure of the company to save the lives of the people living in Olpaad after the company owners expanded the production capacity.Patel said, “In 2014, large number of farmers had turned up at the district collector’s office at the public hearing process for granting post-facto environmental clearance to HCC, which expanded its manufacturing capacity without obtaining EC.

Surat: Large number of people and farmers from more than 50 villages in Olpaad taluka sat on dharna outside the Hindustan Chemical Company (HCC), which manufacturers cyanide and cyanide-based products, located at Hasanabad Villagers are on a warpath against the company since 2010 have intensified their agitation after three tankers of HCC were caught dumping hazardous chemical at Ummala village in Vankhuta taluka near Bharuch.An FIR in this connection was registered by the Bharuch police. However, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and the Bharuch police are yet to initiate action the owners and officials of the HCC for such serious crime.Gujarat Khedut Samaj (GKS) president Jayesh Patel said the company, which was established in 1982, had increased its production without obtaining environment clearance (EC) from central government on the grounds that that the plant is operating out of the GIDC.In 2014, sarpanches of nearly 108 villages had signed the resolution demanding immediate closure of the company to save the lives of the people living in Olpaad after the company owners expanded the production capacity.Patel said, “In 2014, large number of farmers had turned up at the district collector’s office at the public hearing process for granting post-facto environmental clearance to HCC, which expanded its manufacturing capacity without obtaining EC. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in January 2018 order had set aside the EC granted to HCC and directed expert appraisal committee (EAC) of MoEF to consider the public concerns expressed during the public hearing held in November-2014.”Patel added, “After the dharna, the farmer leaders visited Bharuch and met the district superintendent of police demanding immediate action against the HCC owners Bharuch SP has assured stringent action against HCC in a very short time”Farmer leader Darshan Naik said, “On behalf of the Olpaad villagers, I am giving ultimatum to the state government to shut the HCC within 15 days or else people will take to the streets. Despite the NGT order setting aside the EC, the HCC is still manufacturing poisonous cyanide and cyanide based products”

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