Vempenta villagers oppose power plant

Atmakuru: The relay hunger strike undertaken by Vempenta villagers including 25 senior citizens in protest against a private power plant entered 1,000 days on Saturday. The 7.2 MW power plant is being constructed at a cost of Rs 100 crore. Deputy Chief Minister KE Krishnamurthy and a former minister Erasu Pratap Reddy are behind setting up the power plant by private parties despite objections by the local people and the gram panchayat. They say that the execution of the project is based on the false approvals and forgery documents.

Quoting scientists as saying, the villagers said that the whole village will be submerged and green fields will be rendered waste lands if the project is constructed. They say they will have to leave the village if the project comes up.

The protesters warned that they wouldn’t give up their agitation until the government revokes its decision. They lamented that their efforts remained futile even after they have taken the issue to the notice of Chief Minister, Opposition leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, Congress leader Raghuveera Reddy and BJP leaders.