The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) had submitted its draft proposal to develop a Mega Textile Park at Pinjarat village in Olpad taluka of Surat district on the government land to the state chief secretary. Gujarat Khedut Samaj (GKS)president Jayesh Patel in a meeting with the SGCCI president B S Agrawal handed a memorandum to him.

In the memorandum, GKS has pointed out that that the project land falls near the coastal area and under inter-tidal zone area, as prescribed by Surat Urban Development Authority (SUDA) plan 2035.

This would pose threat to the industries during high tides in the sea. Further, the project land falls within the 500 metre area of Coastal Regulatory Zone and that this would adversely affect hit the fishermen of Pinjarat village by snatching away their livelihood. It will affect the environment and violate Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).

The Gujarat Khedut Samaj also lodged a protest with the SCCCI to drop the latter’s move to set up the same.

SGCCI president B S Agrawal said that they will form an expert team to look into all the objections raised by Gujarat Khedut Samaj. They will also follow the environmental norms and see that there is no disturbances caused to the environment and later they will decide whether to go ahead with the project or not.

GKS member Darshan Naik said they have tried to prevail over the SGCCI president on the ill-effects of the proposed project as it will violate the CRZ norms and even endanger the mangrove plantations. The SGCCI president has assured them that he would consider all their objections and will later come to any conclusion.

The Rs 2,000 crore project will come up on 2,000 acres of government land at Pinjarat village. The state government has decided to depute industries commissioner Mamta Verma to the site on April 17 to examine the viability.