Noted social activist and convener of Forum for Better Visakha E.A.S. Sarma has expressed anguish over the reported remarks by Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao that the government will go ahead with work on power plant project by Nagarjuna Construction Company Pvt. Ltd. at Sompeta.
“The ground realities are different from the impressions he has tried to give to the Assembly and the public at large. Mr. Prasada Rao should visit the affected people personally to see how green and cultivable are the land in question, and then make an appropriate public statement,” he told The Hindu on Monday.
Mr. Sarma, a former IAS officer, said if people of Sompeta had demonstrated their firm conviction that the proposed power plant would pollute their wetlands and adversely affect the livelihoods of more than 1,000 families who depend on them.
Stating that it was the responsibility of any political leader to go among the people, ascertain their feelings, understand their fears and respect what they wanted, he said Mr. Rao's views were unfortunate and uncalled for.
