VISAKHAPATNAM: Thousands of fisherfolk from villages near the Simhadri thermal power plant of National Thermal Power Corporation staged a protest in front of the plant demanding jobs in the power plant and Pharma City on Monday. Fisherfolk from Jalaripeta, Dibbapalem, Mutyalammapalem and Tikkavanipalem villages in Parawada mandal alleged that the fly ash from the power plant and effluents from the Pharma City were polluting the Bay of Bengal and affecting their livelihood as the catch declined drastically.
On Monday, schoolgoing children of four villages joined the agitation and raised slogans against the management of NTPC and Pharma City. Students also took out a rally and burnt the NTPC Simhadri plant and Pharma City in effigy.
Visakhapatnam District Fisheries CoOperative Society Limited chairman Ganagalla Vivek said at least one member of every fisherman's family should be employed in NTPC Simhadri project and Pharma City in addition to a monthly monetary compensation to fisherfolk aged above 60, he demanded.
"The district administration is yet to take a single step for the welfare of fisherfolk who have been staging protests for the past few days. The managements of NTPC and Phara City have utterly failed to reduce pollution,'' he said.
Hundreds of fisherfolk staged protest in front of the collectorate in the city.