Panchayats unite against JK Cement's proposed plant
Resentment against the proposed 3-million-tonne-per-annum (TPA) cement plant of JK Cement Limited at Maiserkhana village on the Bathinda-Mansa road is escalating, with several panchayats passing formal resolutions opposing the project. The plant, classified under the red category, has sparked fears of severe air and water pollution among local residents.
The opposition comes five days after a public hearing conducted by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) at the proposed plant site, where residents from nearby villages and environmental activists voiced strong objections. The hearing highlighted concerns that the cement plant would degrade the environment and threaten public health.
Sarpanchs lead the charge
Gurwinder Singh, sarpanch of Yatri village, stated that the proposed plant would be located barely one kilometre from the village’s residential area. “We are concerned about our health and other issues. Therefore, the panchayat and local residents have passed a resolution against the project,” he said.
Similarly, the panchayats of Manak Khana and Ramgarh Bhunder villages have also adopted resolutions opposing the cement plant. Sources indicate that several other panchayats are in the process of passing similar resolutions and submitting them to the Deputy Commissioner. However, residents claim that the administration is preoccupied due to the Chief Minister’s scheduled visit to Bathinda and Mansa districts on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Farmers and residents vow to block project
Resham Singh, district general secretary of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), said residents of Maiserkhana, Bhai Bakhtaur and Yatri villages have unanimously decided not to allow the project. Sukhveer Kaur, sarpanch of Maiserkhana village, reiterated that villagers had strongly opposed the project during the PPCB hearing. “This plant will not be allowed to come up here,” she asserted.
AAP MLA from Maur, Sukhveer Singh Maiserkhana, acknowledged that the state government is encouraging industrial growth to generate employment opportunities. However, he maintained that such projects would be permitted only in accordance with the law and after all mandatory conditions are fulfilled. He added that neither the panchayats nor any public group had approached him on the issue so far.
Heritage site also at risk
Some residents pointed out that the proposed plant site, spread over 26.79 hectares, is located near the historic Durga Mata Temple at Maiserkhana, where lakhs of devotees gather during the Navratra festival every year. The proximity to the temple has added to the opposition, as locals fear that industrial activity would desecrate the religious site and harm the environment.
