A fire broke out on late Monday on under construction 70MW powerplant in Dahod district of Gujarat. This blaze led to major damage, ashing the equipments worth Rs Rs 400 crore. This fire burnt the ambitious green energy project backed by PM modi. As per the report fire started around 9pm at Bhatiwada village and strong winds quickly fanned the flames across the site. The loss included solar panels, transformers and cables was completely gutted. Officials said that 95 percent of the plants materials have been destroyed in fire.
Following the incident, NTPC personnel rushed to the spot as soon as the fire was reported, but the inferno had already intensified beyond immediate control. Firefighters from Dahod and nearby districts have been battling to douse the flames through the night. While some progress has been made, the highly flammable materials on-site have reignited the fire multiple times, which has complicated the containment efforts.
Authorities now suspect foul play in the plant fire, citing tensions between locals and the development project. Sources report stone-pelting at the plant earlier that day injured several workers, requiring hospitalization. CCTV footage captured the perpetrators, and police have launched a sabotage investigation.Two days prior, villagers protested the plant's construction, briefly stopping fencing work that resumed only on Monday under police protection. Eyewitnesses claim a local man initially threatened staff before returning with a group to hurl stones.
DSP Dr. Rajdeep Singh Zala is overseeing the investigation on-site. NTPC confirmed frequent disruptions at the site and had requested police deployment for fencing work between April 4 and April 18. The fire's cause remains undetermined.