Tension prevailed at Vadaseri in Orathanadu taluk of Thanjavur district on Friday when people, who had came for a public hearing on the distillery unit proposed by Kings India Chemicals Corporation Ltd, belonging to former Union Minister T.R. Baalu, turned violent, damaging vehicles, gheraoing officials and throwing stones.
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board hearing was to start on the Kings India Chemicals Corporation Ltd factory premises at 3 p.m. A large number of villagers are opposed to the setting up of the unit, fearing it would create environment problems.
They came to the office at 11 a.m. and alleged that people from other villages had been brought in vans for the hearing by the factory management. An altercation followed.
Soon, revenue officials started arriving, but villagers opposed to the project prevented them from entering the factory.
They targeted Revenue Divisional Officer Ravindran's vehicle. The car of District Revenue officer M. Karunakaran, who is the District Collector in-charge, was also stopped.
Even as Mr. Karunakaran was speaking to the people, a group attacked the car of Ayyavu, who tried to go for the hearing. The police wielded lathis and chased them away. Some stones were thrown from the crowd.
The hearing was later held on the factory premises. Poongodi, Assistant Engineer, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, and Mr. Karunakaran presided.
Narayanan, on behalf of the people opposed to the distillery, said the hearing was an eyewash.
G. Nammalvar, promoter of natural farming, said that he had come to explain the environment hazards and threat to food security, but could not attend the hearing because of violence.
T.R.B. Rajkumar, chairman of Kings India Chemicals Corporation Ltd, told reporters: “We are ready to conduct the public hearing. It is for the people to attend and clear their doubts.” He said the distillery would produce 120 kilolitres of spirit a day. Environment protection measures to the tune of Rs.50 crore were proposed. The unit would offer direct employment to 200 persons and indirect jobs to 500 others.
