The manufacturing operations of the Bhavnagar plant were carried uninterrupted and were not at all impacted by the said closure order of Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) according to Sumitomo Chemical India Limited.

The permanent revocation of the closure order is not likely to materially impact in any way operations of the Bhavnagar Plant or the company. 

On 26th June, 2019, Excel Crop Care Limited (ECCL) had informed that Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) had issued a notice instructing it to close manufacturing operations of the Bhavnagar Plant. The notice was caused because GPCB had found, in a plot of land adjacent to the manufacturing site, waste which was associated with a product which had been discontinued over 20 years back.

Subsequently, on 3rd July, 2019, ECCL informed that, it had submitted an action plan to GPCB for scientific disposal of waste/necessary remediation of the said plot of land and that based on the said action plan, GPCB had withdrawn its closure order for a period of three months.

Later on, ECCL implemented the remedial measures as agreed and approached GPCB for revocation of the closure order on a permanent basis. In the meantime, ECCL merged with our Sumitomo Chemical India based on a Scheme of Amalgamation approved by the National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench. The effective date for the amalgamation was 31st August, 2019.

Post-amalgamation, equity Shares of Sumitomo Chemical India are listed on the stock exchange since 27th January, 2020.

By its order dated 29th January 2021, GPCB has revoked its closure order on a permanent basis.