In 2022, the Adani Group took over Indian cement companies in a US $4-billion deal. One of those firms, Ambuja Cement Limited, is now facing growing scrutiny in several states for alleged violations of environmental laws. Legal battles are going on, government authorities have imposed a penalty on one cement plant, and public protests have intensified against the company. From Gujarat in the west to Himachal Pradesh in the north and Telangana in the south, local communities are raising concerns about emissions from the cement company’s factories, accusing them of damaging agricultural lands, contaminating water sources, and polluting the air.
Legal battle in Kodinar, Gujarat
Manubhai Solanki, a farmer from Vadnagar village in Kodinar taluka (sub-district) in the Gir-Somnath district, has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition in the Gujarat High Court under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India alleging that a government authority in the state is not enforcing rules to control pollution. Article 226 confers powers on a high court to direct any government body to enforce extant laws, and Article 227 (which is to be used sparingly) gives high courts the power to keep lower courts and tribunals within the bounds of their authority.
The PIL alleges severe environmental and economic damage caused by Ambuja Cement and has urged judicial intervention to halt further pollution.
This writer spoke with advocate Prashant Chavda representing Solanki in this case, who said the petitioner has alleged that an Ambuja Cement factory has been dumping chemical waste and waste-water on farmlands, rendering the soil infertile and contaminating water sources. According to the PIL, the company has allegedly disposed of ‘hazardous waste’ on nearby fields causing ‘irreversible’ soil degradation. ‘Continuous dumping of waste’ has also allegedly led to ‘severe contamination’ of water sources, with water in wells turning red and emitting a foul smell. This is posing serious health risks to villagers in the vicinity of the cement plant, Solanki has claimed.
Solanki has presented a report from a laboratory dated 28 March 2021 that apparently confirms the presence of harmful substances in the water in the area. Additionally, dust and airborne particles from the smoke emanating from the cement plant have allegedly damaged standing crops and adversely affected air quality in the area. Fodder eaten by livestock has been contaminated, leading to illnesses and deaths of cattle, all of which have hurt the livelihoods of local farmers, the petition has claimed.
Despite repeated complaints to government agencies, no corrective action has been taken. Solanki’s PIL demands an immediate halt to emissions of polluting smoke from the plant, compensation for affected farmers and strict enforcement of environmental regulations.
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Himachal Pradesh pollution board penalises Ambuja Cement
Ambuja Cement’s Rauri plant in Darlaghat, Himachal Pradesh, located in the ecologically-sensitive, sub-Himalayan mountainous of northern India, has been slapped with an environmental-compensation penalty of Rs 660,000 (US $7500) by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) for violating the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The penalty covers 22 days of violations between 8 December and 30 December 2024, during which period the plant failed to comply with pollution-control measures.
According to The Tribune, a series of inspections at Ambuja Cement’s Rauri plant uncovered multiple lapses in compliance with environmental laws. The plant was found to be emitting excessive pollutants into the air, primarily due to a ruptured pre-heater duct and issues relating to pressurisation of equipment.
SPCB investigators noted that the cement company had failed to carry out timely maintenance of its machinery, leading to operational snags that further exacerbated emissions. Despite repeated warnings, management did not take adequate steps to rectify these violations. In December 2024, the Board issued multiple show-cause notices to Ambuja Cement, but management failed to implement the necessary corrective measures.
The plant was shut down on 11 December 2024 to rectify the defects and ensure compliance with the regulations. The SPCB claimed that this was not done and, on 20 January 2025, imposed the penalty on the company.
This is one episode among many that have led to discontent regarding Ambuja Cement’s operations in Himachal Pradesh. Last year, local residents publicly protested against the alleged diversion of water from a local stream to the cement factory. Farmers and village officials successfully stopped the transfer of one million litres of water per day to the plant from the Ali Khad stream that supplies water to 24 wells, to seven irrigation networks, and to nearly 50,000 people.
Telangana: public uproar over proposed cement plant in Ramannapet
In the southern Indian state of Telangana, farmers and activists are opposing Ambuja Cement’s proposal to establish a new plant near Ramannapet in Yadadri-Bhongir district. The company has sought approval from the state government to construct a ₹1400 crore (US $160 million) cement plant on 28 hectares of land. Many residents fear that the proposed project will pollute the air and the water across an area with a 14-kilometre radius, thereby endangering agriculture and public health.
The Musi River, which runs through the locality, is already contaminated by the discharge of industrial waste from factories. Farmers in the region fear that further pollution could lead to a sharp decline in agricultural productivity. Experts estimate that crop yields could drop by as much as 30% due to soil degradation and water contamination. Fertile lands could become barren, devastating the livelihoods of thousands.
According to The Deccan Chronicle, civil-society organisations are urging the Telangana government to reject Ambuja Cement’s proposal, arguing that the environmental hazards from the proposed plant would outweigh economic benefits. The Telangana Pollution Control Board convened a public hearing on 23 October 2024 to address the concerns of the affected communities.
In December 2024, Telangana Today reported that a delegation of leaders from Ramannapet, led by a local leader of the BJP (the party of PM Modi), P Durgaiah, met Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy in Hyderabad, urging him to intervene and halt the establishment of the proposed Adani-owned factory in the district. (Telangana is currently ruled by the Congress party which is in opposition to the BJP)
A pattern of environmental negligence?
Ambuja Cement’s environmental issues in Kodinar, Gujarat, are well known. A 2023 AdaniWatch investigation highlighted serious environmental and ethical concerns relating to the company’s operations. The report by this writer detailed how limestone quarries supplying the cement plant have been linked to illegal mining, water contamination and dust pollution, severely impacting local farmers and the environment.
The article also shed light on the murky business ties between Ambuja’s suppliers and individuals convicted of violent crimes, including the 2010 murder of environmental defender, Amit Jethwa. This latest PIL adds to the growing scrutiny of Ambuja Cement’s environmental track record. The company’s alleged failure to adhere to environmental regulations has drawn criticism from farmers, environmental campaigners and regulatory bodies, raising questions about corporate accountability and environmental governance in India.
After buying up the Indian interests of the world’s largest cement manufacturer (Holcim of Switzerland) in May 2022, the Adani Group was catapulted to second position in India’s colossal cement industry. This acquisition, one of the biggest of its kind, complemented the Group’s interests in the country’s construction and infrastructure sector. The conglomerate led by Gautam Adani out-manoeuvred its rivals by structuring a deal outside India. The biggest player in India’s cement industry, the Aditya Birla Group (headed by Kumar Mangalam Birla), signalled an intensification of competition by announcing investments in new cement-production capacity even as Adani has acquired new plants.
The writer is an independent journalist based in Uttarakhand in India.
Edited by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta
