Villagers Protest Against Forest Land Allocation to UltraTech for Mining Activities, Plan Legal Challenge in Gujarat

Residents of Bherai, Babarkot and nearby villages have launched a protest against the alleged allocation of forest land to UltraTech Cement for mining activities, with local groups announcing plans to challenge the decision through public interest litigation.

An important meeting was held at Ramji Temple in Bherai village of Amreli, where villagers, environmental activists and local representatives discussed legal and public campaigns against the proposed mining project.

Villagers allege environmental violations

Participants in the meeting alleged that the Forest Department had allocated land in Babarkot village to the company for mining. They also claimed that repeated written complaints had been submitted to the Gujarat Pollution Control Board Control Board and the state environment department regarding alleged violations of environmental clearance conditions by UltraTech.

The protesters alleged that their complaints had not received adequate attention from the authorities.

Health concerns raised

Villagers also claimed that pollution from mining and industrial activities had led to an increase in tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses in Babarkot village. They said these concerns had been raised with government departments but had not been addressed.

The health claims made by the villagers could not be independently verified.

Legal action and awareness campaign planned

Those present at the meeting said they would file public interest litigations in the Gujarat High Court and the Supreme Court against the forest land allocation and related environmental clearances.

They also announced plans to organise petition drives and public awareness programmes in the coming weeks.

Protesters further alleged that local objections raised during public hearings had been ignored and that environmental clearances were being granted despite opposition from residents.

UltraTech Cement had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of writing.