India: Residents near the proposed cement plant site in Garhshankar, Hoshiarpur district, are holding a public hearing on 11 September 2024, disputing the legitimacy of a previous meeting held by the Punjab Pollution Control Board and local authorities on 19 January 2024. The Vatavarn Bachao Sangharash Committee, representing 24 villages, claims the initial hearing was manipulated and poorly attended by local villagers.
Convener Tarsem Singh said "Three villages - Naryala, Sardullapur and Badhoaan - are in the immediate vicinity of the proposed plant. Around 30 villages are in its 5km radius. Representatives from these villages have already been holding meetings for eight months after we came to know about the proposal. We have also been sending representatives to authorities. Now our teams are visiting these villages daily to mobilise wider public participation, so that people can express their views."
