The public hearing for environmental clearance of Rs.1200-crore expansion project of Deccan Fine Chemicals (India) Private Limited’s chemical unit may not be a smooth affair as it may face opposition from the farmers and fishermen of several villages in the neighbourhood on Friday.
Hundreds of villagers from Rajavaram, Gajapatinagaram, Pentakota, Kesavaram, Venkatanagaram, Srirampuram and Rajagopulapalem have been agitating demanding relocation of the chemical plant alleging groundwater contamination and release of pollutants into the atmosphere.
Some of the locals are likely to demand jobs in the project.
The public hearing will be held at Kesavaram near Payakaraopeta on the border of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari at 10.30 a.m. All the stakeholders had been informed about the public hearing, AP Pollution Control Board Environmental Engineer R. Lakshminarayana said.
The company is into production of agro-chemical active ingredients and intermediates and chemicals.
“We are totally opposed to the expansion as the project proponent has failed to protect the environment. The people in the area are living in constant fear of fire accidents and blasts following two major incidents in the recent past,” CPI (M) district secretary K. Loknadham said.
In a reactor explosion, two died and 14 workers were injured on April 11, 2014. The warehouse of the factory got completely gutted forcing the people living in the vicinity to flee on January 24.
The management of the company said it would expand the capacity in two phases from 4,750 tonne to 8,665 tonne pesticides. The unit established in collaboration with Mitsubishi Corporation says it is into manufacturing of eco-friendly crop protection chemicals. It is in the process of getting single unit SEZ status.
The company which now has its project in 40 acres will develop facilities under expansion in 190 acres with API, desalination and co-generation plants.
People in the area are living in constant fear of fire accidents and blasts.
K. Loknadham
CPI (M) district secretary
