Surat : Lab-grown diamond factory in residential complex poses threat to 350 people

Surat: The lives of roughly 350 inhabitants living on Siddhnath Avenue on the Surat-Olpad road have been thrown into disarray as a result of the construction of a lab-grown diamond factory on the ground floor of their residential complex. The wealthy proprietors of a big diamond corporation are at the centre of this contentious affair, leaving citizens fearful and frustrated.

For the past several months, the inhabitants of Siddhnath Avenue, a project by Pearl Developers,  have been living on edge. Their appeals to the Surat Urban Development Authority (SUDA) and the Surat District Collector have seemingly fallen on deaf ears, leaving them grappling with a potentially life-threatening situation. The residential complex, approved by the village panchayat as a Non Agricultural (NA) land under the residential zone, has been turned into a hub of uncertainty and danger.

Adding to the alarm, the builder of Siddhnath Avenue happens to be a relative of the diamond company owner, who has facilitated the establishment of the lab-grown diamond factory on the ground floor. This move has ignited outrage among the residents, who expected a peaceful and secure environment in their homes.

Approximately 50 residents from the apartment have taken to a sit-in protest, hoping that their pleas for help will finally reach the ears of authorities. The heart of their distress lies in the fact that the diamond company owner has not only introduced high-voltage generators within the factory, but also placed massive generators on the Common Open Plot (COP) of the residential complex.

Gita Vanra, one of the flat owners participating in the protest, expressed her dismay: “The building, constructed in 2015, was approved by the village panchayat as a low-rise residential apartment under NA land. The residential plan explicitly allowed local shops. However, in a shocking twist, the builder allocated the entire ground floor to his relative for the lab-grown diamond factory.”

What adds to the residents’ ordeal is the diamond company owner’s clout and influence, enabling him to wield threats of dire consequences. With a total of 122 residential flats in the apartment, the distress and unease among the residents are palpable, as they are forced to live in the shadow of a potentially hazardous diamond factory.

Another resident, voiced her concerns: “Our anxiety stems from the fact that the diamond company owner has installed large generators within the COP area, along with reactors for cultivating lab-grown diamonds. In the event of any mishap or chemical reaction, the entire building could be in jeopardy. Surprisingly, officials from SUDA and the District Collector’s office have remained passive observers to our plight.”

Darshan Naik, shedding light on the dangerous reality, cautioned, “Enormous reactors have been brought into the factory premises for the production of lab-grown diamonds. Any inadvertent chemical reaction could trigger a catastrophic blast, putting the lives of 350 people in the residential complex at grave risk.”