E-Paper
Balewadi’s golden street residents win cement plant war
SJ Contracts Pvt Ltd will dismantle the ready mix concrete (RMC) plant in the area in the next 10-15 days
For residents of “golden street” in Balewadi, persistence with a plan to stop the construction of a ready mix concrete (RMC) plant in the area has borne fruit.
“We have received a formal mail from SJ Contracts Pvt Ltd who own the RMC plant and whom we met on October 13, 2019, soon after the meeting we had with MLA Medha Kulkarni and other corporators about our plight. In the mail the company has conveyed to us that they will be closing the RMC plant in our area,” said Sudharshan Jagdale, chairman of Concorde Portia and also part of the United Balewadi group, which represents 25 societies in the area.
HT had reported the issue, with residents complaining of health problems and air and noise pollution in the area.
The email from SJ Contracts, which HT has seen, reads: “On removal of the raw material we will start dismantling the plant which could take another 10-15 days. Some of the equipment might still be lying in plot as we currently don’t have any other plot to shift it to. However we assure there will be no concrete produced from this location. Considering your concerns and our commitment towards the environment we have made this decision.” The mail is signed by Girish Nimbalkar, AGM – HR.
Residents had also lodged complaints against the plant at the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
“For the past 10 years, we have been meeting the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) authorities,” said Sudharshan Jagdale, resident of Balewadi.
“It is heart-warming that the company has taken heed of people’s concern and they have even apologised to the residents,” said K D Mhatre, resident of Sai Canary.
