Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Residents of Pub Dharamtul and Bhalukaguri in Assam’s Morigaon district are pushing back against a proposed 1 million TPA cement grinding unit. The facility is planned by Max Cement Industries Pvt. Ltd. Locals claim the draft Environmental Impact Assessment is flawed. They demanded access to the document at the Dakhin Dharamtul Gaon Panchayat office on August 25. The secretary told them the paperwork was not there. The public hearing is set for August 28.
The community found significant holes in the wildlife conservation plan. The draft ignores Indian elephants in the Schedule-I species list despite mentioning them elsewhere. It also fails to account for the Gangetic river dolphin. The project sits just 80 metres from the Kopili River. Residents now demand proof that the Chief Wildlife Warden of Assam actually approved the conservation plan.
Water quality data also appears suspect. The terms of reference required surface water samples 60 metres upstream and downstream of the site. Instead, the assessment used points 300 metres upstream and 950 metres downstream. Locals want to know who authorized this change. They also worry about the daily 81,000-litre water demand. The report lacks a dry-season yield measurement for the water source.
Environmental activist Arghadeep Baruah warned about the impact on local ecology. “Dharmatul’s true wealth has always been its quiet harmony—where farming communities, ancient elephant corridors, and migrating Amur falcons coexist in delicate balance,” Baruah said. Residents state they are not anti-industry. They just want accurate information. They expect the project team to address these concerns formally at the hearing.
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