Green nod norm set to ease for Adani's Kalyan cement unit

'STANDALONE' FACILITY MAY BE EXEMPT

- ALOK DESHPANDE

THE UNION MINISTRY of environment, forest and climate change has proposed to exempt “standalone cement grinding unit without captive power plant” from the requirement of prior environmental clearance, as per its draft notification issued on September 26.

If approved, this will likely make it easier for the Adani Group to go ahead with its proposed ₹1,400-crore 6-MMTPA (million metric tonne per annum) cement grinding plant in Kalyan, a city which is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.The plant, which belongs to Ambuja Cement, an Adani Group company, has been facing stiff resistance from locals in Mohone village and 10 other villages near Kalyan, as first reported on September 15.