Monday, June 15, 2009

Protest Public Meeting against Dow Chemicals

Press Release
Date June 16 09

Lokayat in association with Shramik Mahila Morcha and Pune Shahar Molkarin Sangathana is organising a protest against the delay by the Maharashtra government in canceling the permission granted to Dow Chemicals to set up a Research and Development plant at Chakan.

It may be recalled that the Maharashtra government on June 9 changed the members of the committee set up to examine the project, and is now expected to give the report after the assembly elections. As it is, it is an official committee and will merely rubber stamp the government’s wishes. Therefore, it is obvious the statements of various political leaders like Ajit Pawar before the parliamentary elections were merely a deception, meant to buy time and cool down the anger of the Warkaris. Once the assembly elections are over, the government will once again grant permission to Dow to start construction of its R&D unit, and the official committee will parrot the government line that the plant is safe, just like the report of the previous committee set up by the government when the agitation first began in February-March 2008.

The people’s court set up by the Kick Out Dow Save Pune Movement has already given its report wherein it has unequivocally stated that the plant is dangerous, and will pollute the entire region. Lokayat therefore demands that the government should respect the sentiments of the people of the region, especially the Warkaris, and without waiting for the committee’s report, immediately cancel the permission granted to Dow Chemicals to set up its R&D unit at Chakan.

In pursuit of this demand, Lokayat is organising a protest public meeting:

Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Time: 6 pm to 7 pm

Venue: Tilak Putla, Mahatma Phule Mandai, Pune

In solidarity,
Neeraj
For Lokayat

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