Gujarat minister's "illegal" announcement: Invest in Vapi, Ankaleshwar, Vatva; Centre's moratorium ends

By A Representative
Gujarat’s senior environmentalist and social activist Rohit Prajapati has complained to Prakash Javadekar, Union minister for environment, forests and climate change, and the ministry’s secretary Dr V Rajagopalan, that his Gujarat counterpart Ganpatbhai Vasava has “made an illegal announcement about the lifting of moratorium on industrial cluster Vapi, Ankleshwar and Vatva.” The moratorium, imposed by the former UPA government, bans any fresh investments in the three clusters along with tens of others in India, because of their high levels.
In his complaint, Prapapati, who heads Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti, Vadodara, said, “On July 5, 2014, Vasava announced in a public function organized by industries of the Vapi Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), in media presence, that the moratorium on Vapi is lifted and official announcement will follow soon. Vasava made a similar announcement for the industrial clusters of Ankleshwar and Vatva.”
Prajapati said, Vasava’s statement came despite the fact that the Union ministry “is the only one authorised to take decision to impose, reimpose or lift the moratorium of the industrial clusters of the country.” He added, “The ministry is again the only one authorised to publicly announce in general and to the press on its all decisions. Before any official announcement of the decision nobody has the right to leak or make any announcement like this.”
“If somebody makes an announcement about any decisions of the Union ministry, it is not just illegal but unconstitutional. Such an announcement by other than the ministry should be considered as unconstitutional and not as one that reflects transparency”, the environmentalist said, adding, “As per our information, the Union ministry has issued no notification/ letter/ communication about the lifting of the moratoriums on Vapi, Ankleshwar or Vatva.”
“We would like to confirm with you if any letter was sent by the Union ministry on or before July 5, 2014 that enabled/authorised Vasava or to the additional chief secretary of Gujarat’s forests and environment department to make the announcement in Gujarat regarding lifting of moratorium on the three industrial clusters on behalf of your ministry”, he said, adding, “If any such letter was sent, it should have been uploaded on your website.”
Suspecting that Vasava’s announcement may have been manoeuvred by the industrial lobby, Prajapati said, “The way announcement made by Vasava clearly indicates that he is not concerned about the environment but is working under the pressure of Industrial lobby of Gujarat and he and his government might be involved in manoeuvring the decision of the Union ministry to please the industrial lobby.”
Asking Javadekar “not tolerate such behaviour of any officers and the minister of any state government in the interest of environment”, Prajapati said, “If you do not do that it will send a wrong message to people in general that the Un.ion ministry’s decisions might be manoeuvred by the polluting default industries and it is meaningless to send the complain to the ministry about pollution in the country.”
Prajapati demanded, if no decision has been taken to lift the moratorium, “exemplary action” should be taken against Vasava. Lest, he added, “exemplary action” should be taken against the officers who leaked the information.

Comments

Anonymous said…

NGO should focus on their main subject. Environment protection in balance with development needed by india. They should not indulge into political brownie point game

July 26, 2014

Telangana government urged to stop 'unconstitutional' relocation of Chenchu tribes

By A Representative The Nallamalla forests are witnessing a renewed surge of indigenous resistance as the Chenchu adivasis , a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), have formally launched the Chenchu Solidarity Forum (CSF) on the eve of World Earth Day to combat what they describe as unlawful and forced relocation from the Amrabad Tiger Reserve .

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

Dhandhuka violence: Gujarat minority group seeks judicial action, cites targeted arson

By A Representative The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat has written to the Director General of Police seeking judicial action in connection with recent violence in Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district, alleging targeted attacks on properties belonging to members of the Muslim community following a fatal altercation between two bike riders on April 18.

Cracks in Gujarat model? Surat’s exodus reveals precarity behind prosperity claims

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The return of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, particularly from Gujarat, was inevitable. Gujarat has long been showcased as the epitome of “infrastructure” and the business-friendly Modi model. Yet, when governments become business-friendly, they require the poor to serve them—while keeping them precarious, unable to stabilize, demand fair wages, or assert their rights. The agenda is clear: workers must remain grateful for whatever crumbs the Seth ji offers.

'Fraudulent': Ex-civil servants urge President to halt Odisha tribal land dispossession

By A Representative A collective of 81 retired civil servants from the Constitutional Conduct Group has written to the President of India expressing alarm over what they describe as the wrongful dispossession of tribal lands in Odisha’s Rayagada district. The letter, dated April 19, 2026, highlights violent clashes in Kantamal village where police personnel reportedly injured over 70 tribal residents attempting to protect their community rights.

India 'violating international law obligations' over Israel ties: UN rapporteur

By A Representative Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, has alleged that India is “violating its obligations under international law” through its continued association with Israel, including defence ties and alleged arms exports during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Why Tamil Nadu, Periyar, and the Dravidian model aren't just regional phenomena

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The election campaign in Tamil Nadu this season is strikingly different. The alliance led by the DMK is consistently referred to as the “ DMK alliance ,” not the “INDIA alliance.” This distinction is unsurprising given the state’s history: Tamil Nadu remains the only state to decisively reject “national” parties. The AIADMK’s surrender to the BJP after J. Jayalalithaa ’s death represents, in many ways, a betrayal of the politics of Tamil identity—an identity Periyar envisioned as Dravidian, not narrowly Tamil.

Chromatographies of the self: Gender, labour, and resistance in Deepti Kushwah's verse

By Ravi Ranjan* Any sensitive reader of contemporary Hindi poetry will find it impossible to overlook the eight poems by Deepti Kushwah recently published in Samalochan . This suite—comprising works such as ‘Ekākelī ābha’ (A Solitary Radiance), ‘Praśna mem camaktā huā’ (Glowing in the Question), and ‘Ek ankahī tapis’ (An Unspoken Heat)—constructs a multidimensional collage where colour transcends mere visual experience.

Search This Blog