Farmers protest solar power plant

• Protest against the plant's move to sink a large number of borewells
• Water Man of India Rajendra Singh assures to take up issue with PM

Anantapuramu: Farmers in the district are up in arms against the solar power company Meil Green Energies, which is planning to set up a solar company on a 600-acre site in the district and intends to drawing large quantities of water from the Penna River by sinking a large number of borewells. Protesting against the solar company, hundreds of farmers took to the streets and held a rally in the Anantapuramu town on Saturday.

A member of the Central Ground Water Control Authority of India and Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh, who is popularly known as the Water Man of India, also participated in the rally. The farmers took out the rally from the Arts College to the Collectorate, where they met several top officials and submitted a memorandum to prevent the company from draining all water resources. They said that it was unfortunate that the government was providing water to solar and thermal projects even as the farmers were facing untold hardships due to scarcity of water.

Addressing the farmers, Rajendra Singh noted that the district was facing a severe water crisis and assured them that he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister and ensure that they would get water for cultivating their crops. He said that it was highly improper on the part of the government to allow Meil Green Energies to exploit the water resources when farmers were suffering. He said that Anantapur was the second most drought-stricken district in the country after Alwar district in Rajasthan.

Leaders of the farmers union Peddireddy, Nagaraju and Sunki Reddy thanked Singh for extending his support to them.