Assam: Cement factories near Air Force Station Digaru pose national security threat

A CORRESPONDENT

DIMORIA: The Centre for Efficient Governance, a governance think tank, has highlighted a significant national security threat posed by the proximity of multiple cement factories to Air Force Station Digaru, a premier logistical base of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Northeast India. The base, which houses the 51 Air Stores Park, is critical for storing military hardware.

According to the press release, Star Cement’s factory is located 2.4 kilometres from the base, the under-construction Daivik Cement factory is 2.7 kilometres away, and the proposed Taj Cement factory is just 1.9 kilometres from the base. The Centre for Efficient Governance emphasized that the cumulative effects of dust pollution, mechanical vibrations, and heat generated by these factories are expected to adversely impact the military hardware stored at the station.

A retired IAF officer, who wished to remain anonymous, supported these concerns, stating, “The location of Digaru was selected by the Indian Air Force for its dust-proof atmosphere, coupled with other strategic considerations. During my service life, Air Force Station Digaru stored some state-of-the-art weapon systems. I have good reasons to believe that AFS Digaru still houses weapon systems that will be negatively affected if exposed to the small particle dust emissions from nearby cement factories.”

Rakesh Hazarika, Executive Director of the Centre for Efficient Governance, further elaborated on the broader implications for national security. “The combustion processes of cement factories release particulate matter of sizes 2.5 to 10 micrometres into the atmosphere. The PM 2.5 and PM 10 emissions near Air Force Station Digaru are not just an environmental issue but a serious national security threat,” he said. He also pointed out that the proposed Taj Cement factory misled authorities in its Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report by claiming no defence installations were near its project site, exacerbating transparency concerns.

Hazarika warned of the potential for man-made disasters due to the proximity of these factories to the Air Force base. “Any incident at these cement factories could trigger catastrophic consequences for the base, impacting national security,” he cautioned. He called for immediate government action to study the adverse effects of the emissions on military hardware and implement mitigation measures.

They urge the government to address this pressing issue promptly to safeguard national security and protect the integrity of Air Force Station Digaru.

Also Read: Assam: Public hearing on proposed cement plant sparks violent clashes in Sonapur (sentinelassam.com)

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