Kakinada: Tension prevailed in East Godavari’s Gokavavaram taluk on Sunday as hundreds of locals demanded the Assago Bio-Ethanol Manufacturing Unit in Gummalladoddi village be shut down for operating without the local panchayat’s permit and causing sound and air pollution.
Villagers of Gummalladoddi, Vedurupaka, Achutapuram and Bhavojipeta picketed outside the ethanol unit for 15 hours straight. Police personnel, led by three circle inspectors, reached the spot and managed to pacify the protesters after making promises to look into their grievances.The ethanol unit, set up at a cost of `300 crore, commenced operations recently. The villagers claimed a foul smell emanates during the production of ethanol. Further, louds sounds are also heard. Villagers said they were falling ill due to the noise and air pollution.Gummalladoddi sarpanch’s husband S. Muralikrishna said people are suffering with lung and kidney diseases because of the company and it should be closed to save lives.He said the company did not take any approval from the panchayat before the construction of the factory and no public hearing meeting or grama sabhas were organised at the time of construction. Muralikrishna said these reasons also meant the factory should be closed immediately.A resident A. Narendra said that due to the air and sound pollution the people are facing several difficulties. “We used to live in a good environment with greenery and peace. Due to this company, the people are spending sleepless nights due to the bad smell,” he said.Meanwhile, the company representatives said that the company would do good to the people and provided employment to 150 youths in the surrounding villages. The agitators said that they don’t want the jobs. Jaggampeta MLA Jyothula Venkata Appa Rao (Nehru) visited the plant two weeks ago and held discussions with the company officials. The police officials held discussions with the company representatives and the people. The police officials pacified the agitators, saying the Jaggampeta MLA had given 20-days time to the company to sort out the complaints.
