Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta Justice P. Lakshmana Reddy recommended to the Chief Secretary of the State government to constitute a high-level grievance redressal committee to examine the reports submitted by Kadapa Irrigation Circle Superintending Engineer and Deputy Director (Investigation) of the Institution of Lokayukta on the pollution being caused by the cement factory of Dalmia Group located at Chinnakomerla village in Mylavaram Mandal of Kadapa district.
Justice Lakshmana Reddy mandated the committee to hear the people of three nearby villages — Chinnakomerla, Nawabupeta, and Dugganapalli — who lodged a complaint (with the Lokayukta) that the factory has been causing air and dust pollution, which was not only posing health hazards but also damaging agricultural crops and houses in its vicinity.
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The villagers suspected that the collusion of officials of Agriculture, Revenue, Irrigation and Mines & Geology Departments and the Pollution Control Board with the management of Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited resulted in inaction.
The Lokayukta mandated the committee to also engage with the company management and persuade it to acquire the affected agricultural lands under the provisions of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act or at market value, and to explore alternative compensation mechanisms or rehabilitation options of the acquisition of the said lands is not possible.
In the meanwhile, the Commissioner of Agriculture and the member secretary of AP Pollution Control Board have been directed to conduct a joint inspection through the officers concerned for assessing the loss caused to the agricultural fields by the cement factory, and submit an action taken report by November 5 for passing further orders.
The Deputy Director (Investigation) of the Institution of Lokayukta had earlier reported to Justice Lakshmana Reddy that there is an inherent defect in the very location of the cement factory and it ought to be built a kilometre to its southwest, and the Environmental Impact Assessment was not done properly. It was also found that a flood protection bund constructed by the company was causing large-scale inundation of agricultural fields during the rainy season.
Published - September 07, 2024 04:41 pm IST
