SRIKAKULAM: BUCKING the trend of their decade-old agitation against the proposed nuclear power project proposed in Kovvada in Ranasthalam mabndal of Srikaulam district, the residents of the region during the public hearing on Tuesday agreed to part with their land, but with a rider.
“Develop our villages first and then provide us with a relief and rehabilitation package on par with the ones announced for Amaravati and Bhogapuram oustees,” the villagers, mostly fishermen, demanded.
But, why the villagers have to agree to the proposal after waging a war spanning over a decade and the vehement oppositions all the previous public hearings had seen? May it be livelihood opportunity, civic amenities or even securing a bank loan, development on every count have taken a backseat since the project was announced. “We have been discriminated upon all the while. In the name of development, we get only promises, hordes of them. But, none of them has seen the light so far,” said a group of fishermen, who attended the meeting. Asked what about the land they are going to lose for ever, they returned the gaze only with a faint smile.
“We are vexed with the development promises made by the authorities. What we have understood that unless we agree for the proposed power plant, there will be no development in our locality. But by agreeing, we have not given a go ahead to the authorities. We will give our land only after the government develops our villages,” said Mailapalli Polisu, sarpanch of Kovvada.
“We have to think about our children’s future too,” he added.
The fight against the nuclear power plant has thrown their lives into darkness, said another bunch of villagers. “Restriction have been imposed on land registrations. Even changing names in the bank passbooks in case of death of a family head is also a tough task here,” they said.
The district administration have promised six hand pumps for the villages to meet the drinking water woes, not even one has been grounded till date. And the situation is similar in all the villages in Kovvada, K Matsalesam, Gudem, Ramachandrapuram and Tekkali, which come under the proposed site area.
No request made for AERB clearnace: CPI (M)
The Left parties, who have been canvassing the villagers to resist compensation package and oppose plant that has no AERB clearance, remained adamant during the public hearing.
CPI (M) MLC MVVS Sarma argued that the land acquisition be done only after the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board passes is secured. “No such request either from the state government or from the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has been made to the Board so far. Hence, they have no right to organise the public hearing,” he pointed out.
Only promises will not do
Kovvada MPTC Allipilli Ramudu demanded that the government should issue the feasibility certificates to the fishermen who occupied the government lands as a source of the livelihood and enhance the existing package. He demanded that the package be allocated through a GO, but not on a verbal basis. A villager M Adinarayana wanted the house sites to be allocated adjacent to the NH16 near Ranasthalam or in the town limits of Srikakulam besides allowing changes in the existing passbooks and also the adangal copies which has become a major obstacle for the locals for obtaining the bank loans. A resident Mailapilli Pattayya said, “Since I was eight-year-old, I have been hearing about the nuclear project and we will be compensated. But, nothing has been done till date. It is time for the government to act and announce a revised R&R package to the real land owners.”