Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Stone-crushing and quarrying units are continuing to operate within a 15-kilometre radius of the Ratan Tata Electronic City in Jagiroad, despite a formal Assam cabinet decision to prohibit such polluting activities. The restricted zone was established to protect the semiconductor facility, which requires stringent air-quality standards and a controlled environment to function correctly.
Official documentation from May 2026 confirms that the state directed authorities to reject or suspend industrial proposals within this exclusion area. Despite this, several operations, some located less than four kilometres from the project site, remain active. Sources suggest these businesses, reportedly linked to businessman C.S. Gandhi, contribute to significant dust, noise, and vibration levels.
Critics are now raising questions about the lack of enforcement, particularly as reports surface regarding efforts to extend environmental permits for these existing units. Observers have also pointed to bureaucratic gaps in the implementation, noting that the initial directive was not shared with the state's Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department. One industry expert stated: "Semiconductor manufacturing facilities require highly controlled environments and stringent air-quality standards, making the presence of dust-generating industries in close proximity a matter of concern."
The government maintains that the buffer zone is vital for the success of the project, which is considered a flagship industrial development for the region. As officials review a proposal for a new 20-hectare stone quarry, local residents and activists are demanding greater transparency regarding how these permits are being managed within the protected zone.
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