Namrup Fertiliser Shramik Union (NFSU) on Friday urged the government for renovation of existing 2nd and 3rd Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited (BVFCL) unit.
The Centre in 2019 approved the proposal in-principal for setting up of the Namrup Unit-IV on a nomination basis proposing an equity share of 52 per cent to Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizer Ltd(RCF), 26 per cent to Oil India LTD (OIL), 12 per cent to the government of Assam and 11 per cent to the BVFCL.
The project is expected to cost Rs 4,500 Crore.
NFSU general secretary Tileswar Bora said, “There has been a shortage of sixty to seventy lakh metric tonne urea in India.”
“The existing ailing plant production of Namrup is very low coast in India and according to government reports the plants are saving 263 Crore annually,” he added.
“If the Namrup 2nd and 3rd plant were completely shut down then the government have to bear the brunt because the transporting cost will be higher and the government should import urea from outside,” he added.
Bora further said recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech advocated ‘vocal for local’ which means to develop the local industries and promote them.
“We urge the government to renovate the two existing Namrup units till the Namrup lV is not completed,” Bora further said.
“If proper renovation is done to the existing unit then it would produce urea which can develop the local market,” he added.
“Now, the Assam government has been giving stress on agriculture sector which mostly depends on urea,” he said.
“The state government has also formed an advisory committee for the revival of our economy,” Bora said.
“So, we urge the government to released a fund for the renovation of the existing plant,” Bora added.
Last year, a six-member delegation of the Namrup – based BVFCL went to New Delhi and urged Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertiliser DV Sadananda Gowda to revamp the Fertiliser plant which witnessing a sharp decline in production in recent years.
The representatives while submitting a memorandum urged the Union minister to take urgent step to rejuvenate the functioning of Namrup-2 and Namrup-3 units of the Fertiliser plant which had been bogged down by outdated technology and high energy consumption.
“The condition of the existing plant is vulnerable and in any time it can be shut down because of its outdated technology,” Bora said.
“The workers of BVFCL are in constant fear because to complete the Namrup IV plant five years time will be needed and we don’t what will happen if the existing plant is closed down,” Bora added.
“Therefore, we urged the government for immediate repair and renovation of the existing plant till the fourth plant will is not completed,” Bora stressed.