Rich tributes paid to Beela agitation martyrs: Activists want wetlands to be released from NCC

Srikakulam: Wetlands at Beela should be released from the clutches of Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) clutches, demanded Paryavarana Parirakshana Samithi (PPS), Human Rights Forum (HRF), anti-Thermal Power Plant agitators and Backward classes associations. They paid rich tributes to martyrs of the anti-TPP (thermal power plant) movement at the pylon at Beela on Sunday on the occasion of 14th memorial event of the martyrs who were killed by police on July 14, 2010 during agitation. Three persons were killed at the time.

Later, they held a meeting to discuss future course of action at Sompeta. Speaking on the occasion, PPS leaders Dr Y Krishna Murthy, Dr P Sivaji, HRF president V S Krishna and AP state vice president K V Jagannadha Rao, anti-TPP agitators M Raja Rao and S Chandra Mohan demanded the government to release the Beela wetlands from the NCC control by cancelling GO No:329 and also lift police cases against 723 agitators.

They appealed to agitators and affected people to fight against the mindless decisions of the governments unitedly, otherwise the wetlands may lose their unique nature if the government started corporate companies here. They explained that fishermen of 24 villages are depending the Beela wetlands for hunting fish every year, and 145 varieties of birds, medicinal plants are existing here.

They lamented that the governments are blindly ignoring reports submitted by prestigious institutions and National Green Tribunal (NGT) verdicts on importance and bio-diversity of the wetlands.

District cooperative central bank (DCCB) former chairman Dola Jagan Mohan Rao lauded the commitment and courage of the agitators in opposing TPP. He assured to assist agitators and its leades to see GO No-329 is cancelled.

Environmental activists and other leaders

also spoke.