Ludhiana: Day after CM assurance, biogas plant resumes operation
After assurances from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann that the biogas plant at Ghungrali Rajputan would operate per environmental norms, the plant resumed operations. Villagers had protested earlier, alleging pollution violations. Mann promised strict action if norms were breached again. The plant, initially designated as a “green category” project, faced complaints about using pressmud, leading to foul odors. Following multiple meetings with villagers and experts, operations restarted under close monitoring.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann had assured the villagers on October 1 that the factory will run as per norms and strict action will be taken against the factory if pollution norms were violated in the future.
A day after the chief minister assured the villagers that the Biogas plant at Ghungrali Rajputan will run as per environmental norms, the plant resumed operation on Wednesday.
CM Bhagwant Mann has on Tuesday spoken to the villagers personally and assured them that the factory will run as per norms only. He also assured that strictest action will be taken against the factory if pollution norms were violated in the future.
The villagers had alleged that the factors were flouting the norms which was having an ill effect on their lives. They staged protest demonstrations against this earlier in May, following which consent to operate
The plant was a green category project, which meant it was to use only paddy straw, cattle dung and napier grass. However, villagers alleged that with the course of time it was found that they were using pressmud also as one of the feedstock which had resulted in foul smell in the area.
After the villagers registered their protest, the district administration held multiple rounds of meetings with the villagers. experts of various fields such as agriculture, oncology, and chemical engineering were roped in to alleviate the concerns of the villagers.
Two rounds of meetings were held with a group of ministers in the month of September.
Senior superintendent of police, (SSP) Khanna, Ashwani Gotyal, said, “The villagers were assured that the plant will run in accordance with environmental norms by the CM. After that the plant started operations this morning.”
