Responding to protests against the proposed unit at Shinde-Vasuli near Chakan, around 40 km from Pune, chemicals and polymers major Dow Chemicals has stressed that the Pune unit is purely a research and development (R&D) centre and there is no plan for manufacturing at the site.Rakesh Chitkara, director (corporate affairs), Dow Chemicals India, said the company is in the process of investing Rs 300 crore to set up a world-class R&D centre at Chakan. "As Chakan is not a notified chemicals zone, there is no question of manufacturing at the site," he added.Dow Chemicals has been alloted 100 acre at Shinde-Vasuli where the company is developing the first phase of its R&D centre. The centre will initially employ 600 scientists, and this number will go up in the future, Chitkara added.The company has been facing strong protests from the residents of Shinde-Vasuli who fear a Bhopal-like tragedy. The residents have stopped the construction at the site under the Bhamachandra Dongar Bachao Shetkari Warkari Sangharsh Samiti with the support of a non-government organisation Lokayat. Retired judges P B Sawant and B G Kolse-Patil have joined the issue, and are planning to lead a rally in Pune tomorrow (23 February). They claim that the company has started construction without obtaining environment clearance from the authorities.Chitkara said Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation(MIDC) has allowed construction at the site only after the company obtained all clearances. He said the centre will be a zero-discharge location, and the waste generated will be disposed off at government-approved treatment centres one of which is at Ranjangaon near Pune.
