After protests by farmers against an ethanol plant in Tibbi, a town in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district, the firm behind the proposed project, Dune Ethanol Private Limited, is considering pulling out of the project, it is learnt.
Factory officials confirmed this to The Indian Express on Saturday afternoon. When contacted for an official comment, Dune Ethanol did not respond.
Sumit Godara and K K Vishnoi, Rajasthan’s Cabinet ministers who went to speak to the farmers after the December 10 protest that had turned violent, did not respond to calls and messages from The Indian Express seeking a comment.
Protests against the factory have been going on for more than a year, with farmers claiming the plant would pollute groundwater and hinder farming in one of Rajasthan’s most fertile areas, even as the administration insists the plant would be non-polluting.
On December 10, things came to a head when a clash broke out between police and protesters after the latter demolished a boundary wall of the under-construction plant with tractors.
The clash took place following a mahapanchayat by protesting farmers. Another mahapanchayat was called on December 17, in which national farmer leader, BKU’s Rakesh Tikait, took part and warned the administration that the protest would be more severe this time.
Looking at the severity of the situation, factory owners are considering scrapping the project, it is learnt. A highly placed source from the firm told The Indian Express, “We have more than 73 bigha of land for the factory and we were about to invest Rs 450 crore in the plant. But looking at the difficult conditions in the area, we might have to withdraw. We have to assess if there is a point in investing in a place that can become a headache for future business.”
