A large number of people, including women, from Kudtini and surrounding villages in Ballari taluk, on Saturday blocked NH 63 to protest against the establishment of a 0.3 million tonne coal tar plant by Epsilon Carbon Private Limited at Musiyanakanahalli in Sandur taluk of the district.
Movement of traffic on the busy stretch between Kudtini and Ballari came to a standstill for over an hour. Shops and other business establishments in Kudtini downed their shutters in support of the agitation.
The protest was organised under the banner of ECPL ‘Jeeva Sankula Nashaka Virodha Samiti’.
The plant is being set up by a relative of Sajjan Jindal to make use of the coal waste generated at JSW Steel plant and the people are opposing it apprehending that it would pollute the environment and ecology and impact public health. The protesters were demanding that the deliberations of the committee, headed by Assistant Commissioner Lokesh, which has been asked to assess the impact of the coal tar plant on the environment, ecology and public health, be made public. They also demanded that a public hearing be held in all the villages around the plant, to elicit public opinion.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lokesh met the protesters and said that he would submit the report to Deputy Commissioner within a week. The protesters withdrew the agitation after Mr. Lokesh and Muppinmath, Deputy Superintendent of Police, spoke to them.
