3 days ago
Locals strongly oppose setting up of bulk drug park
Anakapalli: Tension prevailed at Nakkapalli as locals strongly opposed the proposal of setting up a Bulk Drug Park at the mandal on Wednesday. People and fishermen families voiced their views when Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board at Nakkapalli organised a public hearing.
They expressed concern over the establishment of the park and contamination of groundwater due to the industry effluents. A number of people, who took part in the protest, highlighted that the park would pose health hazards as the industry would release untreated effluents into the sea. Fishermen expressed concern that their livelihood would be impacted.
Protesters stated that they never asked for the drug park and the government is taking its stand without considering the public opinion. People's associations and Left Party leaders objected that the leaders were arrested before the public hearing programme and the public hearing was carried out without considering the public's opinion.
They demanded to withdraw establishment of Bulk Drug Park. The park would bring pharmaceutical industries and the pollution emanating from them would affect the lives of the surrounding villagers.
CPM leaders objected that the state government had deployed police even before the public hearing and threatened the villagers. They expressed anger over the house arrest of district secretary G Koteswara Rao, secretariat member M Appalaraju, and Nakkapalli mandal secretary M Rajesh. The CPM Anakapalli district committee strongly condemned the arrest of CPM central committee member K Lokanadham, who had gone to the public hearing venue to express his opinion.
They are questioning how a park can be established without seeking the opinions of the people, public organisations.
Villagers of Pedathinarla, CHL Puram, Upamaka, Rajayyapeta, Narsapuram and Gudivada in S Rayavaram mandal opposed the proposal and staged dharna at the tahsildar office.
CPM central committee member K. Lokanadham alleged that the government has undertaken forced lan d acquisition to provide undue benefits to private individuals in the name of public interest. He pointed out that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the Bulk Drug Park environmental public consultation was only to deceive the public.
