Hyderabad, September 23: Apprehending that the proposed thermal power plants in the backward Srikakulam district would sound death knell for thousands of farmers and fishermen, PRP President K Chiranjeevi has appealed Andhra Pradesh government to review its merchant power policy immediately and not let private companies go ahead with their plans.
Chiranjeevi, who toured Srikakulam and neighbouring Vizianagaram districts as part of his Praja Chaitanya Yatra recently, met Chief Minister K Rosaiah here late last night and submitted a memorandum listing the travails of the local people and sought his immediate intervention.
The MLA pointed out that people of Sompeta and Kakarapalli villages in Srikakulam district were strongly opposed to the setting up of thermal power plants with a total capacity of 18,000 MW as they would not only destroy their livelihood but also the environment.
“You may recall that three persons were killed and scores were injured in police firing and lathicharge at Sompeta on July 14 when they were staging a protest against the proposed thermal power plant. These power units will certainly be a death knell for hapless people who are solely dependent on farming and fishing,” the PRP chief told the Chief Minister.
While the state government was allotting land and also developing necessary infrastructure for the power plants, the private producers would be at liberty to sell electricity to other states as per the merchant power policy, he pointed out.
Some political leaders and officials were misrepresenting facts only to further their vested interests and benefit the corporate companies. Pushing lives of thousands of people into jeopardy in the name of industrialisation is unacceptable,” he added.
He urged the Chief Minister to intervene immediately and stop the establishment of private thermal power plants under the merchant policy. Instead, Chiranjeevi said the government’s own Power Generation Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited (APGenco) should be encouraged to set up power plants to meet the requirements of the state.
–PTI