KARIMNAGAR: Hundreds of villagers from Esala Thakkalapalli, Palakurthy, Ramaraopalli and Kannala staged a protest in front of the Peddapalli Revenue Divisional Office on Saturday alleging that release of air pollutants by the Kesoram cement factory has been causing respiratory problems, and indiscriminate mining is leading to depletion of groundwater.
The agitating villagers, mostly farmers and fishermen, submitted a representation against the factory to the RDO. “We don’t have water due to rampant mining activity by the cement factory to excavate limestone. Almost all village tanks have dried up,” complained a youth Pusala Mohana Chary, who has been leading the protests along with his friends.
Chary demanded the pollution control board to look into the issue as several villagers have been suffering from respiratory problems.
“The cement factory management had earlier assured all help to the villagers through its CSR activities, but nothing has been done so far. Due to blasting, our houses are developing cracks,” Mohana Chary lamented.
Meanwhile, fishermen community alleged that due to mining activities, village tanks have dried up and the area where rain water seeps through has been cut off due to rampant digging. The villagers have taken a stand that they will continue to fight until their demands were met.