The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : CPI (M) gearing up for public hearing on alumina refinery

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Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

CPI (M) gearing up for public hearing on alumina refinery

G. Narasimha Rao

Launches campaign in villages to mobilise people

Public hearing at Rachapalli on June 7
Government accused of suppressing opposition to the refinery

VISAKHAPATNAM: More than 94 per cent of those present at the public hearing on the Jindal’s alumina refinery held at Boddavara in S. Kota mandal last year rejected the proposal but the management had reportedly secured permission for the plant by collecting signatures of some villagers at their villages later.

The CPI (M) is trying to prevent such a method being adopted in the case of Anrak Alumina Limited’s alumina refinery and alumina plant in Makavarapalem mandal by collecting signatures of the people of affected villages against the plant and submit it at the public hearing to be held at Rachapalli on June 7.

Awareness drive

CPI (M) is conducting awareness campaigns in the villages under the five panchayats of Venkatapuram, Koduru, Rachapalli, Ramannapalem and Tamaram to mobilise people’s opinion against the refinery.

Its district secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao, while addressing meetings at these villages, said that the refinery would not be built, as there was no chance of its raw material, bauxite, being mined and brought here. But the land taken away from the farmers would become a real estate property. Hence the farmers should not part with their lands, he said.

The compensation being offered was not fair and there was no mention of employment for the displaced in the refinery, he pointed out.

The party in its continuous efforts against the refinery and plant is also demanding extensive publicity to be made about the public hearing and alleged that the Government was planning to deploy in large numbers to stifle opposition to the plant.

“A free atmosphere must be created in the villages. A police outpost has already been established in the area. The government is trying to create a favourable opinion for the plant at the public hearing with the help of their supporters,” he said.

Environment report

He also said that the 242-page environmental impact estimation report should be made available to all the affected villages but this mandatory exercise was not done.

The report contained a lot of technical details but very little about the fields and houses the farmers would lose.

Party leader A. Balakrishna urged the people to attend the public hearing without fail and voice their opposition to the refinery. He criticised the Government for trying to suppress the opposition to the refinery and managing leaders to make the farmers part with their lands.

Another leader N. Dhanalakshmi asserted that the farmers have the right over the land for generations. Member of district committee Y. Makireddy said the people could assert at the public hearing that they would not sell their lands.

Police surveillance

Leaders opposing the refinery said the police were making regular visits to the villages and making enquiries about the strangers and the activity of those supporting farmers, to ensure that no opposition was raised at the June 7 public hearing.

Coordinator of Samata, a voluntary organisation, Makireddy Ramana said an Intelligence Bureau official enquired about his activities. Mr. Ramana is conducting a survey in the villages to prepare the people for the public hearing.

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