The report readied by the committee to look into the Dow Chemical imbroglio has given a green signal for the construction at the Shinde village site, stating that it will be used only for research and development activities. It has also asked the company to get the requisite environmental clearance before they start operations and has asked the company to work with the local communities to generate employment opportunities for the villagers. In a release, the committee appointed under the chairmanship of secretary environment S K Goel has said that the "apprehensions and concerns raised by the local residents has been carefully evaluated by the committee and the State government has accepted the recommendations of the committee.' The expert committee has clarified that the proposed R & D centre at Shinde village will not be used for manufacturing and will conduct only research and development. The committee, besides suggesting additional studies on environmental management plan, risk assessment, onsite and offsite disaster management plan and industrial safety plan, has directed the company to get a formal clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests before the start of the operations, even though it is not required for a research and development site, said the release. The committee has also said that the "R and D centre will be a zero discharge facility which means that there will not be any liquid effluent discharged outside the premises of the company. The committee has also directed the company to accord maximum importance to the local residents for giving employment and social initiatives for community welfare. However Remove Dow, Save Pune president B G Kolsepatil said the report was an "eyewash' and they would continue the agitation. "We have all the support of the villagers who will continue to put up stiff opposition against the project,'' he said. The committee was appointed in February to study the concerns raised by residents. The committee includes the Collector of Pune district, the superintendent of police (rural), the CEO of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, member-secretary of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and scientists from the University Institute of Technology, Mumbai and National Chemical Laboratory (NCL). Two meetings were conducted on February 14 and February 25 to listen to the concerns of the local residents.