Ahead of the proposed visit of the Ministry of Environment’s (MoEF) appraisal team to conduct a survey of the site for the proposed Lafarge cement plant at Karsog in Mandi district, locals have written to Union Minister of State for Environment Jayanthi Natarajan opposing the project.

The proposal to set up the plant was earlier quashed by the Environment appellate Authority. Following this, the company filed a petition in the high court, which granted relief to the promoters by asking the Ministry to again send its team to the site. The team is expected to visit the site on October 16 and 17.

Jai Shri Deo Badeyogi Sangharsh Evam Paryavaran Sanrakhsan Samiti and another NGO, Him Dhara, Environment Research and Action Collective, in a joint letter to Natarajan, had stated: “We are shocked to say that no public notice has been given about visit of the team/sub-committee. It is a blatant violation of the court order as the people of the area require sufficient prior notice before the visit.”