In a show of support for the local air and soil pollution, hundreds of environmental activists carrying flags and banners marched into the Tata Steel factory grounds in the Dutch city of Ijmuiden on Saturday.
Locals joined the demonstrators, who were led by Greenpeace, and claimed that the Indian company’s plant in the seaside city is to blame for the excessive amounts of heavy metals in the area’s soils.
Tata stated that it recognised the right of protestors to demonstrate but advised them to leave the area for their own safety, adding that it was unable to close the plant during the protest.
Environmental officials are examining the site, and prosecutors are looking into allegations that Tata intentionally contaminated the groundwater in the area. However, the company disputes all the allegations.
