Two die in protest against proposed power plant

Visakhapatnam: Two persons were killed and five injured when police opened fire to control villagers protesting against setting up of a thermal power plant in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district on Monday.

"Two persons were killed and five sustained injuries in the incident at Vadditandra village," said Srikakulam SP KVV Gopal Rao, adding some several policemen were also hurt.

The situation at the project site where East Coast Energy Pvt Ltd is developing a 2,640 MW Super Critical Coal fired power project in Santhabommali Mandal continues to be tense for the past two days after the policemen disrupted the fast undertook by some fishermen and villagers on Saturday.

Police said they had to open fire on the agitators as a rescue measure when the situation went out of control due to the heavy stone pelting from protestors.

"We asked the local police not use real bullets. We told them to use rubber bullets to lower the intensity. The agitators attacked police with sticks and rods. There was tension in that area. We will investigate the issue," DGP Aravinda Rao told reporters in Hyderabad.

This is second such incident in the district in which people were killed in police firing during protests against setting up of power plants in the coastal area.

Three persons were killed in police firing when a large group of farmers and fishermen, protested against setting up of the power plant by the NCC last July.

ECEPL said the project received all mandatory and regulatory clearances.

"There are no Relocation & Rehabilitation (R&R) issues with the project. In compliance with NEAA (National Environment Appellate Authority) order, the construction activity for the power plant within the project site is limited to 1317 acres including green belt," the company said.

Meanwhile, Opposition Telugu Desam, CPI and Lok Satta condemned the police firing on the villagers.

Terming it as unfortunate, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu said public opinion should be taken into consideration while taking projects.

Demanding action against the policemen responsible for firing, CPI State Secretary K Narayana said the police camps in the villages should be wound up immediately.