Protesting the construction of boundary wall by NSL Power authorities at Talcher, local Zilla Parishad member Rita Rani Das has submitted a memorandum to Talcher Sub-Collector stating that she would sit on fast unto death in front of the Chief Minster’s residence in Bhubaneswar from Tuesday if the work is not stopped within 24 hours.
Das, a ZP member form zone No-20 of Talcher, decided to take her protest to the Chief Minister after local administration officials allegedly took a pro-company stand. Terming the ongoing construction work at Teheranpur as illegal, she demanded it to be stopped within 24 hours failing which she has threatened to resort to fast unto death.
As per the MoU signed with State Government, Mahanadi Aban, a power company, proposed to set up 1320 MW power plant near Talcher Thermal Power Plant in Talcher. Later, the company backed out and handed over the project to NSL Power which started boundary work at the site with help of police force on Monday.
The locals led by Das opposed the company’s action terming it illegal as no MoU was signed between the new company and the State Government. Das in her letter to the Chief Minister alleged that the Mahanadi Aban had sold some acquired land to NSL at higher cost than what it had paid to the owners. She demanded a public hearing to be held so that the locals can put forth their grievances before the company is allowed to go ahead with its construction work.
The ZP member said though she had taken up several issues with the local administration, those were not resolved before giving green signal to the power company to go ahead with its work. As a result, she decided to take her protest to the State Capital so that the Government can realise the gravity of the problem.
When contacted, Talcher Sub-Collector Sitansu Rout said he had received the memorandum of Das and forwarded it to Angul Collector.