ANGUL: The villagers of Derenge continued with their agitation despite promulgation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC around NTPC ash pond area on Tuesday. Hundreds of villagers of Majhisahi in Derenge have stalled maintenance work at the ash pond since last Wednesday.
The agitators are demanding that NTPC should acquire their village which is facing acute pollution due to its proximity to the ash pond. The NTPC authorities have, however, refused to take over the village citing infeasibility. The Government authorities had also issued an order asking the villagers to end the strike and booked 41 villagers under Section 107 CrPC to prevent any violence.
“We have imposed Section 144 on the spot from Tuesday morning and booked 41 villagers under Section 107 of CrPC. We called the villagers for meeting with the Collector on Monday where the issue was discussed. The villagers were told to wait for the next Rehabilitation Peripheral Development Advisory meeting. Despite that, they continued sitting on dharna stopping the work there,” said Talcher Sub- Collector Paresh Chandra Nayak.
Meanwhile, the situation at 3,000 MW NTPC Kaniha power plant, which supplies power to 17 States, is going to worsen due to problem in evacuation of ash slurry into the ash pond. The authorities have shut down a 5oo MW unit and regulated power generation in four other units which are running in Odisha.