Himachal govt issues show cause notice to Adani-owned cement plants for shutting down operations

The notice has been issued by the state Industries Department to the Adani-owned Barmana (Bilaspur) and Darlaghat (Solan) plants for shutting down the operations on December 14 citing “unviability due to high transportation cost”.

Shimla:The newly formed Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has issued a notice to the management of two cement plants owned by billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani for shutting down the plants “unilaterally”, officials said. The notice has been issued by the state Industries Department to the Adani-owned Barmana (Bilaspur) and Darlaghat (Solan) plants for shutting down the operations on December 14 citing “unviability due to high transportation costs”.

The notice was issued after Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu ordered the Chief Secretary to take appropriate steps in this matter. Chief Secretary RD Dhiman held a meeting with other officials of departments concerned, including industries, transport and State Supply Corporation. DC Solan and Bilaspur also participated in the meeting virtually.

The notice sent by the Industries Department said that closing the plant without notice is a “direct violation of the rules”. “Neither the government nor the local administration has been informed about the closure of the plant. The government has allocated land and provided necessary facilities to the company and in such a scenario the company cannot take such a decision all of a sudden.

The future of thousands of people is linked with the decision of the company and the decision to close the plant is one-sided. This is a gross violation of revenue, transport, industry and labour rules,” it said. In the notice, the management has been asked why action should not be taken against it. Meanwhile, the DC has been instructed to resolve the dispute regarding the transportation cost cited by the company to shut down operations.

The government is also engaged in resolving the dispute before the assembly session beginning on December 22. Apart from Himachal, the cement from the twin plants is supplied to neighbouring states as well. The closure of the cement plants has disrupted the supply chain and if not resolved on time, then the construction work in Himachal may also be hit.