Protests against NTPC project continues
Even as the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday laid foundation stone of NTPC’s proposed 4,000 MW super thermal power project at Lara village in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district, thousands of people here protested the project. They held dharna at Kanaktura Chack.
Villagers from 13 gram panchayats led by Sarpanch of Attabira Sanjib Pradhan demanded cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and joint public hearing with the State Government.
The villagers accused the Union Government and Chhattisgarh Government of not taking them into consideration while giving clearance to NTPC to go ahead with the project.
They pointed out that while the project will benefit the people of Chhattisgarh, they will have to bear the pollution generated by the plant.
The spot at Lara where the NTPC is coming up with the 4000-mw power plant at an investment of Rs 14,000 crore is hardly one km from the border.
On Monday, two groups of villagers, one comprising 13 Sarpanch, 13 Samiti members, and villagers apprised the Collector of their plan to stage demonstration against the project.