Kakinada: Voice against Divi pharma unit gets shriller in Kona

Kakinada: The people of Kona area in Thondangi mandal led by CPI district secretary T Madhu and Divi's Vytireka Porata Samithi staged dharna at Kotapakalu village on Wednesday, protesting the establishment of the pharma unit by Divi's company.

The agitators raised slogans against establishment of the unit in the area. They raised slogans like "Go back Divi's", 'Protect the environment, farmers and people of the region' and others.

CPI leader Gampala Dandu Babu, leading the agitation, said that the people in general and fishermen in the area were depending on seashore and fish hunting. There were more than 250 hatcheries in the area and nearly 25,000 people were eking out a living on the aqua sector. He said that if the pharma unit was established in the area, the marine wealth will be spoiled and polluted and the people who were living in peaceful, good environment and healthy atmosphere will face health hazards.

He said that the Telugu Desam government cheated the people in the area by allowing Divi's company to set up the unit. Then, the opposition leader Jagan Mohan Reddy had strongly condemned the move of the government and assured the people that he will cancel the pharma unit, if YSRCP assumes the power. He said that the CPI will continue the agitation until the Divi's withdraws the setting up of the unit in the area. He said that the party wouldn't allow Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy to lay stone for establishment of the pharma unit. CPI and Divi'sVytirekaPorata Samiti activists, farmers and others werepresent.