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Tension prevailed adjacent the territory Collectorate successful Paderu connected Monday arsenic members of the Adivasi Girijana Sangham, representing the villagers, staged a protestation demanding the scrapping of agreements related to projected hydro powerfulness projects successful the Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district, adjacent arsenic the territory medication assured villagers that each activities would beryllium carried retired lone aft owed consultation.
Braving inclement weather, the protesters marched from the Government Junior College grounds on the RTC main roadworthy to the Collectorate, wherever they staged a dharna nether the banner of the Sangham’s run against the hydro powerfulness projects. Addressing the gathering, National Executive Committee subordinate of the Sangham, P. Appala Narsa, alleged that surveys and exploratory drilling were being carried retired without the consent of the gram sabhas, and successful usurpation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, the Panchayati Raj Act and the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.
State wide caput K. Surendra accused the task authorities of intimidating tribal residents and spreading misinformation to suppress absorption to the project. District caput P. Baladev alleged that the Collector’s bureau was indulging successful one-sided publicity that ignored biology concerns and nationalist objections, without releasing the Environmental Impact Assessment and Social Impact Assessment reports. Anantagiri ZPTC subordinate Dasari Gangaraju echoed these concerns.
The Sangham announced that it would pain authorities circulars related to the task successful villages connected June 16 and 17, and said a gathering of the anti-hydro task committee would beryllium held successful Araku connected June 25.
Alluri Sitharama Raju District Collector T. Nishanthi, interacts with villagers and representatives from project-affected areas who submitted representations connected the projected hydro powerfulness projects astatine the Collectorate successful Paderu connected Monday, amid rain. | Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
Responding to the protest, ASR District Collector T. Nishanthi said that the medication had already issued directions to guarantee coordination, anterior intimation and assemblage consultation earlier immoderate survey oregon tract enactment undertaken successful delicate areas. She said that the concerns raised by villagers would beryllium examined and formally brought to the announcement of the government. All activities would conform to applicable laws and policies, keeping successful caput the interests of section communities and the peculiar presumption of Scheduled Areas. She urged the radical not to judge rumours and said the territory medication remained committed to transparency, continued consultation and the peaceful solution of issues. Joint Collector Tirumani Sri Pooja, ITDA Project Officer Aditya Varma and different officials were contiguous erstwhile the villagers submitted their representations.
