Gujarat High Court stays Nirma’s Mahuva cement plant

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday ordered a stay on all construction activities at the Nirma Ltd’s upcoming cement plant in Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar district while hearing a petition by farmers opposing it.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mr S J Mukhopadhaya and Justice Mr Akil Kureshi further ordered that the stay would become effective from Thursday (March 18) following a request by Nirma Ltd’s lawyer Mr Mihir Thakore, who said that his clients needed a day’s time to finish construction of a concrete raft which was already on the verge of completion.

The Court was hearing petition by Shree Mahuva Bandhara Khetiwadi Pariyavaran Ran Bachav Samitee (SMBKPRBS) consisting of farmers who are opposing Nirma Ltd’s cement plant contending 222 hectares of land that out of the 268 hectare allotted to the compan y, belongs to a water-body.

The farmers led by BJP MLA from Mahua Kanu Kalsariya have also contended that the cement plant poses a threat to agriculture and animal husbandry besides causing irreparable damage to the environment.

“The respondents (Nirma Ltd would keep status quo and not make further construction or change the landscape of the land under question,” the court ordered.

During the hearing of the case, farmers’ lawyer submitted satellite imageries, obtained from National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), Hyderabad showing the water bodies near Samadhiyada village where Nirma Ltd’s cement plant is coming up.