Tapi: Police fired tear gas on the agitators pelting stones on the cops during a protest against setting up of Hindustan Zinc Ltd Plant in Doswada of Tapi district. Many cops were injured during this incident.

A public hearing was scheduled by GPCB (Gujarat Pollution Control Board) regarding setting up of proposed Hindustan Zinc ltd plant in Doswada, Tapi. The locals were protesting over possibility of pollution due to setting up this plant and they were demanding to postpone the public hearing. Police used lathi charge to disperse the crowd but the outraged protestors started stone pelting on the cops. The mob also flipped over a car of the cops. Later, police had to fire tear gas to control the protestors.

The Administration had to postpone the public hearing due to the violent protest. Thousands of locals had gathered for the protest and the social-distancing guidelines were violated.

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for world’s largest zinc smelter plant at Dosawada in Tapi district was signed between the Gujarat government and Vedanta Group’s Hindustan Zinc Ltd in October last year in presence of Chief Minister Rupani. As per the announcement by the State government that time, Hindustan Zinc proposed to invest Rs. 10,000 crore in Dosawada and planned large scale export of zinc in Middle East countries. The company had also proposed to set up a State of the art Research and Development centre in this tribal area. Proposed 399 KTPA plant when completed will generate employment for more than 5,000 locals. DeshGujarat