On Monday, the Gujarat High Court gave a clean chit to Nirma for setting up its plant at Mahua near Bhavnagar. The total cost of the plant is Rs. 1,400 crore and will be for manufacturing cement.

Nirma is into the business of detergent making and the plant was under threat after farmers opposed its setting up. They said that the plant was harming the environment of the region. And since it has a water body, the plant will impact the source of water and affect the environment adversely.

The decision was given by a bench of the high court which was headed by Chief Justice S. J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice Akil Kureshi. They directed that the 46 hectare land, which is under hold, should be returned to Nirma Ltd.

The trouble started when a petition was filled by Mahuva Khetiwadi Pariyavaran Bandhara Bachao Samiti. They started an agitation against the setting up of the plant.

But, the court has also said that Nirma should be returned 46 hectares of land. But in this the canal would not be included. They will send the water to a 'bandhara' (a check dam).