Fri Nov 21 10:03:12 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:
Visakhapatnam Residents Fight Against Proposed Cement Plant Amid Pollution Concerns
VISAKHAPATNAM, INDIA – November 21, 2025 – Residents of Pedagantyada, a suburb of Visakhapatnam, are fiercely opposing the construction of a ₹1,000 crore cement grinding unit proposed by Ambuja Cements Limited, a subsidiary of the Adani Group. The proposed plant, slated for a site within the Adani Gangavaram Port area, has sparked widespread anxiety due to fears of increased pollution and potential health hazards.
The controversy ignited when a public hearing was announced for October 8th, 2025. Residents of the Andhra Pradesh Housing Board Colony (APHBC) and surrounding villages, already grappling with industrial pollution from nearby industries and the Gangavaram Port, immediately voiced their concerns. The project site, just 200 meters from residential areas, has triggered fears of worsened respiratory problems and declining property values.
“The news has been giving us sleepless nights,” said M. Srikanth, president of the APHBC Residents’ Welfare Association. “The residents have joined forces to oppose it in our area. We called for a meeting to discuss ways to oppose the cement unit as it will be detrimental to us.”
Thousands attended the public hearing organized by the A.P. Pollution Control Board, resulting in its cancellation due to overwhelming opposition. While the Board states that a new hearing will only be scheduled upon a fresh request from Ambuja Cements, residents remain vigilant.
The Visakhapatnam Apartment Residents Welfare Association (VARWA) and the Human Rights Forum (HRF) have joined the fight, emphasizing the known health risks associated with cement plants. The HRF highlights that the Environmental Impact Assessment report itself acknowledges habitations within a dangerously close proximity to the proposed site, violating state norms.
“The people of Gajuwaka and Pedagantyada deserve a government that values their lives more than mindless industrial expansion,” stated M. Sarath, president of the HRF Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Coordination Committee.
Local MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao has expressed his support for the residents, but community groups vow to continue their opposition, collaborating with public representatives and political parties to prevent the plant’s construction. The fight highlights a growing concern over the balance between industrial development and the well-being of local communities in the rapidly expanding city of Visakhapatnam.
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