The State Government has finally cancelled the land allotted to NCC Limited for setting up of 1,980 MW thermal power plant at Sompeta in Srikakulam District, an area which had witnessed prolonged agitation by farmers and fishermen culminating in the killing of three persons in police firing on July 14, 2010.
In a move that could trigger another controversy, the Government had, however, allotted the resumed land to the same company, this time around, for setting up a multi -product industrial zone. Sompeta has been a hot spot of the people’s agitation ever since the Government allotted the land, wetland with rich biodiversity, for the setting up of the power plant.
The locals are up in arms against the Government’s decision which, they claim, was based on false claims that the allotted land was wasteland, not wetland (beela as it is called in the local parlance). The land is said to be housing as many as 493 plant species, 123 bird and 120 medicinal plant varieties that would be affected if it is alienated for industrial purposes.
The agitating people were not convinced with the Cabinet decision on cancellation of allotment of land to thermal power project and there was no celebration in the villages when the Cabinet pronounced its decision on cancellation of the project. The latest orders came at a time when the villagers are firm that the Government withdraw any proposal for converting the beela (wetland), which had been sustaining them from generations, into an industrial hub.
Elaborating on the reasons for cancelling the power project, the Government recalled the company’s representation asserting that it had secured important clearances/consents from the authorities concerned and had spent Rs.80 crore on the development of the land. It could, however, not take the project forward owing to the petitions filed by the local NGOs and others before the National Green Tribunal, the Central Government and the High Court of Andhra Pradesh.
The company had claimed that it could not take up the project in time because of circumstances being beyond its control. The General Manager (Admn & Coordination) of N.C.C. Power Projects said, in a representation on June 1, that the company would develop a multi-product industry zone in place of the thermal power plant, “respecting the sentiments of the local people in Sompeta”.
The company had proposal for utilising the land for developing the multi-product industrial zone with a broader perspective of bringing rich dividends to the State in terms of economic and industrial development and generation of new employment opportunities, both direct and indirect to local population.
Accordingly, the Government said the company should utilise the land for the purposes it had been allotted within three years from the date of the orders and it should submit annual report before March 31 on the progress of the utilisation.
The District Collector had been vested with the powers to cancel the allotment and resume the land from the allottee for violation of conditions as well as for non-utilisation of the land.
