Paradip, Oct. 5: A public hearing called by the district administration on the environment impact assessment of Paradeep Phosphates Limited fertiliser plant had to be suspended because of a protest by local residents.

The residents are against the infrastructure expansion planned to increase the production capacity to 1.82 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).

The public hearing had to be suspended as local residents living close to the plant opposed its expansion programme saying it would pollute the environment.

Officials of the district administration, state pollution control board and the plant failed to convince the people and they disrupted the proceedings of the public hearing conducted by the state pollution control board. The hearing was suspended without any official proceedings.

Paradip additional district magistrate Biswajit Biswal said: "The public hearing could not be conducted because of the protest by the local residents. They are opposed to the plant's expansion."

"It was mostly people of Kujang who took part in the protest," said Paradip additional superintendent of police P. Gadadhar Pradhani.

The present capacity of the plant is 1.2 MTPA and it is only manufacturing DAP fertiliser at present. After the expansion, the plant would also produce urea. In addition to DAP, it would manufacture 140 MTPA of urea after the urea plant is commissioned.

The plant needs infrastructure expansion because of the increase in demand of its products from farming sectors.

Deputy general manager, corporate affairs, of the plant, Gati Krushna Acharya said: "The plant has submitted the expansion proposal according to the environment impact assessment notification of the Union ministry of environment and forest. We are waiting for the environment clearance to resume expansion."

The local residents alleged that the private sector plant did very little towards pollution control.

One of them alleged that the sole objective of the fertiliser plant was to rake in profits with little concern for pollution and environment safety norms.

"A pungent odour emanating from fertiliser plant has made our lives miserable. The plant causes air and water pollution. We don't want its expansion as it is against the interests of the people," said environment activist Sankhanad Behera, who spearheaded the protest.