Whalesbook
Years of unresolved complaints have pushed a Gujarat resident to the brink, culminating in an indefinite hunger strike. Devram Vala Ghoda, from Devpara village in Devbhumi Dwarka, issued a statutory notice on May 9, 2026, to the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), alleging that Tata Chemicals Ltd's Mithapur operations continue to cause significant environmental pollution.
Historical Grievances
The complaint is not new. An inspection by the Okha Municipality on June 13, 2012, reportedly confirmed pollution in Devpara and forwarded its findings to the Prant Adhikari, Dwarka. Ghoda claims that subsequent representations made to the GPCB's Gandhinagar office and complaints filed under CAPC Form-133 before the Prant Adhikari have yielded no measurable improvement on the ground for over a decade.
Alleged Health and Economic Impact
While acknowledging GPCB's procedural actions since October 2025, the notice asserts these have lacked tangible outcomes. Ghoda alleges that farmers and fishermen in the region continue to suffer from compromised livelihoods. Residents of Devpara reportedly live with contaminated air, water, and food, with serious illnesses becoming a visible public health crisis in the village.
Demand for Urgent Action
Ghoda described the hunger strike as a last resort, taken after exhausting all available administrative channels. The statutory notice, addressed to the Member Secretary of the GPCB, references earlier complaints, environmental laws, inspection reports, and statutes. It stresses the need for the pollution control board to treat the matter with immediate urgency, framing the communication as a continuation of the original grievance against Tata Chemicals' alleged environmental violations.