Lakhanpur villagers block roads for several hours in Protest of Thermal Power Plant in Chhattisgarh

Jharsuguda:�Villagers and Sarpanchs of 13 Gram Panchayat of Jharsuguda�s Lakhanpur Block had held a massive protest at the Kanaktura Chowk and had block the NH 49 leading to Chhattisgarh.

They have opposed against the proposed 4000 MW super thermal power plant by NTPC and�1320 Megawatt power plant of�JSW in Chhattisgarh border. As per the Sarpanch Sangh Lakhanpur Block alleged no public hearing was done in the villages which has been falling under 10 K.M. radius of these projects in Odisha.

�No Local representative, nor Odisha Government and neither Central Government had taken steps in this regard so we were forced to come on the road to protest against this project, and if within one month no public hearing is being done then we will continue this road block till it is fulfilled.� Said Sanjeev Padhan , Sarpanch, Attabira Gram Panchayat.

BJP State Executive Member Smt. Radha Rani Panda had jointly raised her voice by participating in this agitation said that, �Demands of these Sarpanch and villagers are very much genuine as there are 90% of the villagers depends upon the agriculture and due to pollution by these industries it would destroy their livelihood. Additionally, Odisha Government has not taken any steps in this regard.�

�We support the demand of these 13 Gram Panchayat which will be affected due to the super thermal power projects. Odisha Government should take some steps in this regard similarly as it has been opposing the construction of Polavaram dam in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. If it has not be settled then the agitation may take a bigger shape� said Lingraj,Convenor, Western Odisha Farmers Co-ordination Committee.

In a Parallel protest, a protest meet was organised by BJD members at Lara, near the Odisha Border Line. Where many local BJD leaders Tapas Ray Choudhary, Jharsuguda BYJD President Trinath Gual, Jayant Dixit had also opposed the plant and demanded the Public hearing for the affected Gram Panchayat of Odisha.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh remotely laid the foundation stone of the Stage-I 4,000 MW NTPC Lara Super Thermal Power Project, at Lara village which is located just half a km from the Odisha border