Residents of Mohone village, located around 68 km from South Mumbai, have launched a signature campaign opposing the proposed cement grinding plant by Ambuja Cement Ltd, an Adani Group company. The move comes ahead of the public hearing scheduled by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) on September 16.
Mohone, a densely populated village surrounded by ongoing high-rise construction, has seen rising concerns over the potential health and environmental impact of the project. “When the Adani Group acquired National Rayon Company (NRC) in 2020, it was expected that a world-class logistics park would be built, which everyone welcomed. But now, instead of the logistics park, a cement grinding plant is planned. There seems to be no attention to environmental or health concerns,” said Jivandas Katariya, a former NRC worker and Mohone resident.
Residents from Mohone and around 10 nearby villages have expressed fears over air and water pollution, increased traffic, and health risks. Subhash Patil, president of Gramastha Mandal Mohone Koliwada and local BJP leader, said, “We started a signature campaign as our first step. The authorities do not appear to have considered the negative impact of such a large plant in a residential area.”
Letters have also been sent to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Environment Minister Pankaja Munde, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation, and MPCB officials. The Adani Group did not respond to queries from The Indian Express. MPCB officials stated that the public hearing would provide a platform for residents to voice objections.
According to the executive summary for the public hearing, the project will occupy 26.13 hectares, with 9.67 hectares allocated for green belt development and 5.49 hectares for the grinding unit, storage facilities, and packing plant. The socio-economic study area, covering a 10 km radius from the site, includes 38 villages in Kalyan Taluka, parts of Biwandi and Ambernath talukas, Ulhasnagar, and Maharal BK Town, with a total population of approximately 14.8 lakh.
Debi Goenka, Executive Trustee at Conservation Action Trust, warned, “Cement grinding units should not be permitted in densely populated areas. They emit high levels of particulate matter, which can seriously affect residents’ health.”
