Review power plant policies: Botsa to CM

Appealing to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to review the government’s policy of establishing power plants in coastal districts, Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayana on Tuesday condemned the police firing at Kakarapalli in Srikakulam district, which claimed two villagers lives on Monday.

The villagers of Kakarapalli are agitating against establishment of power plant citing environmental damage and loss of their traditional sources of livelihood.

Talking to media persons at Assembly Media Point, Mr Satyanarayana said the government has to review the situation as the people were afraid that their traditional ways of eking out a livelihood may be in danger due to the setting up of power plants, besides the ecological damage to the area. He pointed out that during the last Assembly session, the firing incident at Sompeta left the government embarrassed and now the police firing at Kakarapalli is sure to give the opposition a chance to put the ruling party in the dock.

Mr Satyanarayana stated the government should not act unilaterally on establishment of power plants but instead elicit the opinion of local people before giving permissions to private parties.

The Minister also said the problem has been cropped up as the company managements have failed to honour their promises given to local people. The managements have to gain the confidence of local people before beginning work on establishing the plants. The companies must also create awareness among the people that the power plants would be beneficial to them and not harm their traditional ways of eking out a livelihood, he said. Above all, the companies must ensure that there is no environmental damage if the plants are set up, Mr Satyanarayana added.

Expressing serious concern over the police firing on villagers, the Minister said government would book cases against erring officials and initiate serious action against them.

Reacting on reports that former minister JC Diwakar Reddy was about to convene a United Andhra conference, Mr Satyanarayana said that he does not have information about any such effort.

As for him, he said, “I will obey whatever the decision taken by Congress High Command over the Telangana state.”

He blamed Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu for the crisis in the state. “If Mr Naidu makes his stand clear on Telangana, the government would announce the decision on separate statehood issue immediately,” Mr Satyanarayana said.