Women lay siege to ACC cement factory at Madukkarai for causing pollution

Coimbatore: Villagers from Madukkarai and Kurumbapalayam have been complaining of pollution caused by ACC cement factory for a long time.

They blame high levels of pollutants on the walls of the house and on the food, causing various physical diseases and issues. Under the circumstances, women from the locality besieged the factory office last month and staged a protest. This was followed by talks between the management and the public and appropriate action was assured.

It is alleged unusually high levels of pollutants are coming out of the cement plant in the last few days. As a result, more than 100 women from Madukkarai and Kurumbapalayam villages besieged the office at the ACC cement plant premises today. As a result of this, a large number of policemen were mobilized.

The women demanded that excessive emissions from the plant must be controlled and accused the plant management of not taking action even after repeatedly insisting. They blamed that the pollutants cause various problems such as eye irritation, shortness of breath and stomach related problems.

The police and the factory management negotiated with the protesting women and promised to suspend the operation of the plant for the next 15 days in order to control the pollution, but the women sat there protesting for a long time stating that the management usually does not keep such promises. They therefore demanded the plant management should write down their action plan in a letter and provide it to them, but the management refused to do so.

As a result, the women continue to protest in the factory premises. A tense situation prevails in the area due to the protest.