We don't want power plant, villagers tell collector

Vempenta (Kurnool): Protesting against the construction of mini power plant here, the whole village appealed to District Collector C Sudarsan Reddy when he visited the village on Wednesday that they do not want the mini power plant which would damage the ecology and pollute the village. The district collector visited the village and called for Grama Sabha on Wednesday. Srisailam Right Bank Canal, Telugu Ganga, KC Canal, Alaganuru reservoice canals areflowing around the village. The flood water of Nippulavagu, KC Canal and Erraguduru passes along the village. Minister for Erasu Pratap Reddy wanted to use this flood water to generate power by constructing a mini power plant costing Rs. 50 crore. The 7.5 mw power plant is the bone of contention in the village. The Collector was told that Minister for Law and Justice Pratap Reddy was building the power plant with the force of the police. The whole village told the collector in unison that they do not want the power plant in the village. They expressed their willingness to vacate the village if they government insisted on going ahead with the power plant. They lambasted the greediness of the minister to make more money from the power plant. After hearing the pleas of the villagers, the collector said that he would submit the third report to the government and explain the problem to the higher officials. He issued instructions to the stop the construction activity till the final decision was taken regarding the problem. The collector also instructed the police to retreat from the village in the larger interest of law and order. Minister Pratap Reddy who was present in the Grama Sabha did not react or announced the stopping of the construction of the power plant much to the chagrin of the villagers.