Thousands protest against Yerravaram hydro project; block roads in Chintapalle

Visakhapatnam: Hundreds of people under the banner of Girijana Sangham on Saturday protested by blocking the roads at Chintapalle in ASR district against the AP government's proposed Yerravaram Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project near Yerravaram.

The protest led to public and private vehicles remaining off the roads from morning to afternoon and commercial establishments remaining shut down on Saturday. People from over 20 villages in Chintpalle and Koyyuru mandals in the ASR district raised slogans against the government and the hydroelectric project.

Traffic congestion was witnessed for hours in between Lammasingi and Chintapalle as the protestors blocked the road demanding the government roll back its decision.

Coming down heavily on the government for trying to push the project in the tribal pockets, the protestors said the proposed hydroelectric project requires at least over 800 acres of land. The project is coming in between Chintapalle and Koyyuru mandals in ASR district and over 1,200 families in the two mandals will be affected by it, they added.

Any project or industry in the scheduled areas can't be undertaken without a comprehensive discussion by the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) and consent of the tribals. But the government has been violating the rights and interests of the tribals, they alleged. They vowed to continue their fight till the government rolls back its decision.