The Hindu : Villagers' fears over setting up of gas terminal allayed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 12, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Villagers' fears over setting up of gas terminal allayed

By Our Special Correspondent

RAJAHMUNDRY, FEB.11. The District Collector, K.S.Jawahar Reddy, said that the apprehensions of villagers, especially fishermen of Gadimoga village in Tallarevu mandal near Kakinada, over setting up of a gas terminal by the Reliance group were `ill-founded and misplaced.'

At a public hearing held near the village and attended by Reliance officials and people's representatives, including the Minister for Cooperation, Chikkala Ramachandra Rao, and the Zilla Parishad chief, Dunna Janardhana Rao, on Tuesday, villagers headed by the village sarpanch, Malladu Gangaratnam, objected to the proposal apprehending harm to the life and property of villagers.

"We will not allow this gas terminal to come up," the villagers said. Dr. Jawahar Reddy told this correspondent on Wednesday that the gas, which the Reliance group would get from the offshore drilling terminal, contains some moisture which had to be removed.

No chemical would be used for the removal of the moisture. It was for this purpose that the terminal is being set up.

Even if there is leakage of gas, the same would straightaway go into the atmosphere and hence there is no possibility of any harm being caused to the people in that area, Dr.Reddy said. Gas from the proposed terminal would go to different parts of the country through a pipeline.

However, since the villagers had expressed apprehensions about the gas terminal, a committee of village elders would be constituted to sort of the issue, Dr.Reddy said. Dr.Reddy said that as and when the villagers were convinced about the need for the terminal, there would not be any objection.

Dr.Reddy said that the Reliance company requires about 200 acres of land for the terminal. Acquisition proceedings had already been initiated and the land would be handed over to the company on payment of market price.

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Andhra Pradesh