Rourkela: Following a massive protest by villagers, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has postponed a proposed ‘public hearing’ scheduled for Friday. The protest was led by sarpanch Nalini Singh and had the full support of local MLA Jogesh Singh. Singh has been spearheading the protest for the last several days calling for the postponement of the public hearing. The villagers were alleging that the administration was not listening to the request of MLA Singh and was planning to go ahead with the meeting Friday.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that NTPC has agreed and finally postponed the public hearing till mid-November. NTPC authorities could not be contacted in this regard. However, the MLA confirmed that NTPC has postponed the public hearing for at least one month. Public resentment grew when the PSU wanted to construct an ash pond near Darlipali. The villagers, especially those staying in three nearby hamlets, were part of the protest against the ash pond along with Darlipali residents. They demanded the pond should come up at least 500 metres away. “The NTPC in violation of rules constructed the ash pond just 200 metres away from Barobega village. People residing there are suffering due to severe pollution,” said Singh.
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Besides, the MLA made it clear that NTPC should first listen to the public grievances and then hold a public hearing; else no pond would be allowed in the vicinity. “The NTPC is not paying heed to the public demand. My point is public interest should be protected,” said the MLA. “Now NTPC has agreed to postpone it and it will be held next month. But our point is to shift it to a minimum of 500 metres away from the locality,” he added. The other proposal given to NTPC is to shift the villages and settle them elsewhere and then construct the ash pond there. “The state government has also written to the NTPC in this regard and the proposal will be sent to the NTPC headquarters for shifting the villages,” said Singh. If the second proposal is accepted then nearly 150 families will be displaced.