Locals opposing SEZ project in Andhra Pradesh clash with police

SRIKAKULAM - In a stoic display of fearless resilience against injustice, farmers, fishermen and locals in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh clashed with the security personnel on Wednesday to oppose the proposed thermal power plant project.

Besides the farmers, hundreds of women, children and local villagers participated in large numbers in the highly charged and deeply emotional agitation.

Chanting anti-government slogans, the demonstrators first staged a peaceful sit-in protest.

However, the deployment of security personnel to quell the crowds led to a violent backlash by the people.

The construction of the thermal power station, which is to be built on the wetlands of Srikakulam, would lead to loss of livelihoods and lands of the native poor people and also result in massive displacement of the locals and farmers, the protesting locals claimed.

“The entire uttara Andhra (northern Andhra Pradesh) has become like the Sahara desert. Do you like it? We forecasted it, because we saw the problems of the people. In government, they are sitting in AC (air-conditioned) rooms. (How would they understand the situation at the grassroots?),” said Chalasani Prasad, Secretary of Andhra Pradesh Revolutionary Writers’ Association.

He maintained that the protest was a reflection of people’s frustration and fury, which had been ignited by insensitive government policies.

“The government has no right to declare war on the people. People can declare war on the government (if there is injustice),” argued Prasad.

Fearing that the proposed Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project would leave them in a dark abyss of hopelessness and unending circles of exploitation, the poor farmers refused to surrender their lands for the project by staging the mass protest.

The police personnel roughed up hundreds of protestors, including old men and women ignoring the locals shedding tears of angst and agony.

Apart from the locals from over 30 villages, a forum of environmentalists, academicians and experts have opposed the Srikakulam power project by citing it could create a critical imbalance in the ecologically sensitive zone.

Nagarjuna Construction Company, a private construction firm is planning to execute this 2000-megawatts project. (ANI)