HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, March 7: As many as 30 organisations under the banner of Namrup Har Karkhana Suraksha Aikyo Manch on Thursday staged a sit-in demonstration in front of the Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL) in Namrup demanding setting up of the fourth fertilizer plant.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state, the organisations staged the protest programme to attract the attention of the PM in setting up of the plant.
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The protesters held placards that read ‘Save, Save our BVFCL’.
Namrup BVFCL is one of the oldest fertilizer producing unit in India that has been struggling for its survival due to old machinery. However, the central government has been showing lackadaisical attitude in reviving the industry.
The industry which is the only fertilizer industry in the entire Northeast has been neglected since its establishment.
“The condition of BVFCL’s third plant is not good. It is the only plant which has been producing urea in northeast. We want to draw the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the revival of the industry. If it remains like this, it won’t be long that the third plant will also shut down,” said Tileswar Bora, working president of Namrup Fertilizer Aikyo Manch.
Bora said, “In 2018 the Centre had approved in-principle the proposal for setting up of the fourth unit at an estimated cost of Rs 4,500 crore. However, as on date no progress has been made in the project. Once considered among the finest and profitable fertilizer industries of the country, now it has been struggling to stay afloat due to declining production over the years.”
“After the cabinet decision why has the government been taking time for setting up of the 4th plant? We urge PM Narendra Modi to intervene into the matter because he is the only person who can make it happen,” Bora stated.
“The Namrup-3 plant set up in 1987, has been struggling due to outdated technologies and machineries. There has been a huge decline in the production of urea in the two units in recent years because of which the fertilizer plant is unable to cater to the huge demand for urea in the country. Now, the plant produces 700-800 metric tons of urea per day,” he added.
