Saintala: With focus on carbon-neutral green energy, the state government is making efforts to enhance solar power production in the state.
However, an ambitious solar power project proposed by the Aditya Birla group is facing local opposition at Dunguriaplli under Saintala block of Bolangir district.
Notably, the state government wants to increase the solar power production capacity to 1,500MW by 2022. Green Energy Development Corporation (GEDCOL) has been working on a detailed roadmap for enhancing solar power production on a commercial basis and to adopt the latest technology for reducing the cost of production.
According to reports, the solar power plant will be set up over a vast patch of land including pasture, cremation and forest land. Hundreds of people opposed the plant Wednesday and gheraohed the tehsil office for hours.
According to reports, the company has set a target to acquire 1200 acres in 10 pahchayats under Saintala block to set up its solar plant. The IDCO has directed revenue officials to provide land for the project.
However, locals alleged the tehsil authorities are planning to hand over hundreds of acres of pasture, cremation and forest land at Dunguripalli, Tur jauper, Saraphapada and Kuanrgaon to the company.
Locals had earlier met the tehsildar June 8, opposing the land acquisition for the company. However, the tehsil administration has initiated the process to convert the land before handing it over to the company.
Hundreds of local people along with ZP vice chairperson Pandab Sahu, Saintala sarpanch Bhimsen Swain, social activist Santanu Nayak and youth leader Gajapati Sahu staged protests at the tehsil office.
They also submitted a memorandum adressed to the Chief Minister through the tehsildar.
PNN