Amid strong opposition from locals, officials have completed the environmental public hearing for setting up 200 MW thermal power plant at Peddaveedu village of Mattampally mandal in Nalgonda on Monday.
However, the neighbouring villagers alleged that the officials kept their concerns aside and used all possible means to prevent them from entering the meeting place.
As tensions built up, the police restored to mild lathicharge to disburse the agitators.
A villager, Shanakar Nayak, alleged that the police have deployed forces at each and every neighbouring village to prevent them from going out of the village.
Two tribal habitations, Krishna Tanda and Gurrambodu tanda villagers were confined to their habitations as these two villagers had participated actively in agitations during the past two public hearing which were cancelled ultimately.
Meanwhile, Mr. Shankar said that they have lured some villagers who supported the environmental public hearing.
However, the villagers in huge numbers arrived at the meeting place to air their voice, but the police force prevented them from entering to meeting hall.
Another villager, Saida Nayak, said that the villagers have sent their representations with a person to officials conducting the hearing but they have refused to accept. Instead of conducting the meeting at a open place, he said that the officials conducted the hearing in a small panchayat office strategically to control the crowd.
Environmentalist Kavula Saraswarthi alleged that the officials have violated all norms in conducting hearing as they refused to allow the villagers to air their concerns.
She said that the thermal power plant would make the life of locals miserable. Human Rights Forum activists also supported the agitating villagers.
