Shimla: Under its diversification programme, FCI Aravali Gypsum and Minerals India Limited has taken up a project to establish a white cement plant near village NohraDhar in Sirmour district, Himachal Pradesh, at a project cost of approximately Rs. 605 crores.
Nohradhar White Cement Plant will be the 4th white cement plant in the country. The installed capacity of the Nohradhar White Cement Plant would be 0.3 million tonnes per annum and it will generate the direct employment of approximately 150 persons.
The plant is expected to be commenced by the year 2022. It will prove to be a milestone for the development of the Sirmour District.
For ensuring completion of the project in a time bound manner an MOU was signed today in Shimla by Alka Tiwari, Chairperson and Managing Director, Aravali Gypsum and Manoj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Himachal Pradesh, in the presence of Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur.
FCI Aravali Gypsum and Minerals India Limited is a Government of India Undertaking, under the administrative control of Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India.It is engaged in mining and marketing of mineral gypsum in Rajasthan. It’s Miniratna-II Company having its registered office at Jodhpur (Rajasthan) has 15 operating gypsum mines in Rajasthan. It started its operations from 01-04-2003 and during the last 15 years, it has increased its net worth by 3248%.
The plant was identified in 1983 and after over three decades of battling with red-tape, still it seems of taking more time to set up as land acquisition could prove little cumbersome as local residents of Nohradhar area have objected the plant.
It’s worth mentioning that local people of the Nohradhar village and other surrounding villages are against the cement plant. Claiming of adverse impact on the nearby Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary, local residents fearing of adverse ecological impact in the region.
Local residents has already cautioned to protest against the plant. Citing example of unprecedented pollution around the Darlaghat region of the Solan district where cement plant is accused for the pollution, Nohradhar residents also feared for the same fate.
