DIBRUGARH: Thirty organisations affiliated with the Namrup Har Karkhana Suraksha Aikyo Manch staged a two-hour sit-in protest on Thursday (March 07) in front of Namrup-located Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL) in Assam, demanding the establishment of a fourth plant.
The protest program aimed to draw Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s attention ahead of his visit to Assam towards the urgent need for setting up the 4th plant.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Protesters held placards with the message “Save our BVFCL”.
Namrup BVFCL, one of India’s oldest fertilizer-producing units, has been grappling with survival issues due to outdated machinery, with the central government exhibiting a lackadaisical attitude towards reviving the industry.
“The condition of the BVFCL third plant is deteriorating as it is the sole producer of urea in the Northeast. We seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention for the industry’s revival. If left unaddressed, the third plant may soon face closure,” stated Tileswar Bora, working president of Namrup Fertilizer Aikyo Manch.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Also read: BJP ‘instigating’ groups to target Christians in Assam: Nagaland Congress
Bora highlighted, “In 2018, the Centre approved in principle the proposal for setting up the fourth unit at an estimated cost of Rs 4500 crore in Assam. However, there has been no progress in the project to date. Once a premier and profitable fertilizer industry, it is now struggling due to declining production over the years.”
“After the cabinet decision, why is the government delaying the establishment of the 4th plant? We urge PM Narendra Modi to intervene as he is the only one who can expedite the process,” Bora emphasized.
He further explained, “The Namrup-3 plant, set up in 1987, has been struggling due to outdated technologies and machinery. There has been a significant decline in urea production in recent years, making it unable to meet the country’s urea demand. Currently, the plant produces 700-800 metric tons of urea per day.”
Established in 1969, Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL) in Assam is the sole fertilizer-producing unit in the entire Northeast.