Leaders of all parties including the ruling Congress have decided to intensify the agitation for the permanent closure of Nagarjuna Agrichem Limited alleging that the plant was causing heavy air and water pollution in 18 villages of Etcherla mandal in the district. An action plan will be chalked out after July 15 when the government is likely to take a decision over the future of the plant.
A massive public meeting was held on Sunday near Chilakapalem to step up pressure on the government for complete shutdown of operations in the pesticide plant where an accident took place, causing tension among the people with the release of toxic gases after the accident.
Etcherla MLA (Congress) Meesala Neelakantham Naidu, TDP district president Chowdary Babji, BJP leaders Tankala Durga Rao, Suvvari Venkata Sanyasirao, YSR Congress leaders D. Padmapriya, Ballada Janardhan Reddy, Etcherla former MPP B. Hemamalini Reddy, CPI(M) representative Panchadi Paparao and others extended their support to the movement against the plant.
Mr. Neelakantham Naidu said the company had completely ignored people’s representations to reduce the pollution that made their lives miserable. The TDP leaders alleged that Viziangaram MP Botcha Jhansi did not respond to the accident though the Etcherla Assembly constituency was under jurisdiction.
