Alleges absence of CO₂ recovery plant, illegal water transportation, and pollution threatening public health
Published on: July 08, 2026
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
The City District Congress Committee has submitted a memorandum to the District Collector seeking action against New Look Biofuels, located in Phuljhar village, alleging multiple environmental violations and activities that could adversely affect public health. The party has demanded a fair investigation and urged authorities to suspend the company’s operations if serious irregularities are confirmed.
Memorandum Submitted to Collector
The memorandum was submitted under the leadership of City District Congress Committee President Jitendra Mudliyar, accompanied by State Congress Spokesperson Rupesh Dubey, State Secretary Praveen Meshram, General Secretaries Virendra Chandrakar, Ashok Panjwani, Vinay Jha, Prem Ruchandani, Laxman Sahu, Raja Tiwari, Sharad Khandelwal, and other Congress leaders.
The delegation alleged that the biofuel plant is operating in violation of environmental regulations and requested immediate administrative intervention.
Allegation of Operating Without CO₂ Recovery Plant
According to the memorandum, the company has not installed the mandatory CO₂ recovery and purification plant required to capture carbon dioxide generated during ethanol production.
Congress leaders alleged that operating without this facility violates environmental clearance conditions and could adversely impact both the environment and the health of residents living in nearby villages.
Concerns Over Air Pollution
Jitendra Mudliyar alleged that emissions from the plant and its chimneys are not being managed properly.
He further claimed that the Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) installed for air pollution control is inadequate, potentially increasing air pollution levels and the risk of respiratory illnesses in the surrounding area.
Allegations of Illegal Water Transportation
The memorandum also accuses the company of engaging in several illegal activities, including:
- Laying water pipelines during the night without authorization.
- Transporting water illegally.
- Fencing areas around water bodies.
- Drawing water illegally from mining sites.
The Congress has sought a high-level inquiry into these allegations.
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Alleged Violation of Environmental Clearance Conditions
State Congress spokesperson Rupesh Dubey claimed that the biofuel unit, spread over approximately 12.55 acres, was required under environmental clearance conditions to:
- Reserve 33% of the land for green belt development and tree plantation.
- Keep 15% of the area designated for parking.
He alleged that production began without complying with these mandatory conditions, amounting to a violation of environmental norms.
Demand for Independent Investigation
The Congress has urged the District Collector to constitute a special investigation team to verify whether the company is complying with environmental standards and statutory conditions.
The party has further demanded that if the allegations are found to be true, strict legal action should be initiated and the company’s operations should be suspended in the interest of public health and environmental protection.
Several Congress leaders and workers, including Rishi Shastri, Rakesh Chandrakar, Naresh Sahu, Lalit Markam, Pradeep Rathore, Surendra Dewangan, Mahendra Bahadur Singh, Sitaram Shrivas, Raja Yadav, Shailesh Jain, Arshad Khan, and Narendra, were present during the submission of the memorandum.
Note: The allegations mentioned in the memorandum represent the claims made by the Congress party. The response of New Look Biofuels or the concerned government authorities was not included in the information available at the time of publication.
