Ethanol plant construction halted after farmers' protest in Hanumangarh

A major development occurred late last night in the long-running agitation by farmers and villagers against the proposed 40 MW Dune Ethanol Plant in Rathikhera Gram Panchayat, Hanumangarh.

Construction of the plant, estimated to cost approximately Rs 450 crores, has been temporarily halted. In a high-level meeting held at the District Collectorate auditorium, the government decided to conduct a high-level inquiry into the environmental viability of the plant.

A day after Sangria MLA and State Youth Congress president and a dozen other protesters were hurt in the lathi charge during the Mahapanchayat, MP Kuldeep Indora raised the issue in Lok Sabha and demanded a review.

The agitation against the plant had been ongoing since last year. The previous Congress government had signed an MoU with a private company for the plant's establishment. Land conversion was completed in 2023, but as soon as construction began in 2024, local residents started protesting.

On November 19, a large police team surrounded the protest site in the early hours of the morning, removed the protesters, and dismantled their tents. On December 10, thousands of farmers gathered at a Mahapanchayat in Tibbi and attempted to enter the plant site. Police resorted to a lathi charge, in response to which the agitated crowd set several vehicles on fire and damaged others. The farmers' action committee claimed that other ethanol plants were causing pollution and affecting people's health.

The meeting yesterday at the District Collectorate auditorium ended late at night. Additional Director General of Police VK Singh, Bikaner Divisional Commissioner Vishram Meena, Hanumangarh District Collector Dr. Kushal Yadav, IG Hemant Sharma, and several other officials were present.

Inderjeet Singh Panniwala, Ramesh Bhadu Nagrana, Baltej Singh Masani, Mohan Singh Rathore Panniwala, Nitin Dhaka, Ravindra, and others represented the action committee. The meeting was attended by BJP MLA Gurveer Singh Brar, former MLA Dharmendra Mochi, Congress leader Shabnam Godara, and Communist Party leader Jagjit Jaggi.

The plant officials gave a written assurance that no work would be done until the inquiry is complete. This agreement was signed by all parties and is being considered a major victory for the farmers.

Earlier, the farmers had announced that they would gherao the district collectorate on December 17. They said that the plant will escalate environmental pollution and health risks. The company will now have to meet these standards.