Corporate Attack on Public Hearing Process in Gujarat

Paryavaran Surakskha Samiti (PSS), Environment Justice Initiative (EJI) and Toxics Link, strongly condemned the physical assault on the civil society representatives and environment activists who were participating in a Public Hearing organized by Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) on 7th August 2002, in Valsad, district of Gujarat at the behest of Atul Limited. They called for severe action against the culprits. The participants were attacked in the presence of the Collector, who has not initiated any action against the attackers. The civil society groups demand that from now onwards the Public hearing should take place at a neutral place.

Atul Limited is a manufacturer of more than 400 chemicals one of which is a herbicide 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (generally referred to as 2,4-D). The public hearing was held in the backdrop of findings of alarming level of mercury and other toxins analyzed at the laboratory of People's Science Institute in Dehradoon, informed Michael Mazgaonkar of PSS.

The violence began when the company was not able to reply to any of the queries and objections raised by the Dr K N Ponnani, Industry Consultant and were unhappy that his strong criticisms were being translated to Gujarati by Michael Mazgaonkar of PSS. Dr Ponnani's presentation was interrupted by an employee of Atul Limited and then they started manhandling all the activists of civil society groups.

Mazgaonkar was dragged out of the hall and his shirt was partially torn, thumb twisted, and he was hit on the head. All this time, for over 15 minutes, neither the Collector of the Valsad district, nor the regional officer of Gujarat Pollution Control Board nor the police, nor the security of Atul Limited did any thing. And instead of taking action on the attackers Michael was taken out of the campus by Atul Security and the police.

The fact that the public hearing was not held at a neutral place and was held at the chemical factory’s compound and hall speaks volumes about the farce of public hearing made by the GPCB, says Ravi Agarwal of Srishti. Members of PSS demanded cancellation of the public hearing as the public was not allowed to participate. It was only after this that a company Vice President came out to take Michael back in and apologized on behalf of Atul Ltd and his own person from the stage for the conduct of Atul Employees.

The whole matter started because for the first two hours of the public hearing the company officials and the consultant (Clean Environment Consultancy Services) gave a very rosy picture of the company. Then when the civil society started raising objections, the company executives and employees started

This happened in the backdrop of company’s 2,4-D production expansion plan on August 7th public hearing events. It is obviously a formality which the GPCB is fulfilling without even an iota of seriousness, said Sunita Dubey of EJI. Rajni Warrier, Director, EIA cell, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) said, it’s a law and order problem and state government should deal with it. Already there has been lot dilution in the EIA guidelines to suit the corporate interest, this is yet another instance of government apathy towards ecological and democratic norms, say Ritwick Dutta and other environment activists.

According to a report of the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), a joint venture of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Organisation, and the World Health Organization, death may result in mammals and birds when administered oral doses of 2,4-D exceeding approximately 100 - 300 mg/kg body weight. The most characteristic signs of severe 2, 4-D poisoning are those of myotonia, and various other physiological, haematological, biochemical and histological changes have also been described in the report.