AASU Protests Against Closure of BVFCL's Namrup Plant, Demands Revival

DIBRUGARH: In Dibrugarh, tensions flared as members of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) took to the streets to protest the potential closure of the Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL) at Namrup. The agitation came after Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba, revealed that a committee had recommended shutting down the ailing fertilizer plant.

Amidst a fiery rally in Dibrugarh town, AASU members burnt effigies of Union Minister Khuba, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and local MLA Taranga Gogoi. The protesters demanded that the government reconsider its decision to close the plant and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Dibrugarh, urging for intervention.

The controversy arose from Khuba's written reply in the Lok Sabha regarding the revival of BVFCL Namrup. He cited a Group of Officers (CGO) meeting held on August 12, 2022, chaired by the CEO of NITI Aayog, which recommended the closure of the fertilizer plant. According to the New Public Sector Enterprises (PSE) Policy for Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Fertilizer sector was categorized as non-strategic, making Public Sector Enterprises in such sectors susceptible to privatization or closure.

The BVFCL Namrup plant, located in Dibrugarh district, has been grappling with financial woes for years due to outdated technologies and machinery, resulting in a significant decline in production. The closure of the Namrup-1 unit in 2017 and the struggling Namrup-2 and Namrup-3 units have exacerbated the challenges.

The implications of shutting down the BVFCL Namrup plant would be severe for the local economy and employment. With over 1,000 people dependent on the plant for direct employment and thousands more indirectly, job losses would hit the region hard. Additionally, the plant's contribution to the state's revenue would be lost, potentially affecting the agricultural sector, as the BVFCL produces urea – a vital fertilizer for farmers. Farmers would have to seek alternatives, potentially leading to increased production costs.

The AASU has fervently called on the government to reconsider the closure and take steps to revive the plant with appropriate investments. The union argues that the BVFCL Namrup plant is still viable and can be revitalized to meet the demand for urea, benefiting both the local economy and the agricultural sector.

The situation in Dibrugarh underscores the critical importance of the BVFCL Namrup plant to the region's economy and agriculture. As tensions rise and protests persist, the government faces mounting pressure to reassess its decision and find a sustainable solution that supports the livelihoods of the local community and addresses the fertilizer plant's challenges.

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