[1]Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said on Sunday that the government would go ahead with the proposed thermal plants at Srikakulam district at any cost. Speaking to mediapersons here, he said that as industrialisation was unavoidable, the proposed coal-based thermal power plants needed to come up in the district and other places in the state as well. Stating that development was possible only through rapid industrialisation, the CM said that new industries in the power sector were always welcome in Andhra Pradesh.
The five power projects that were proposed for Srikakulam district have been facing problems since their announcement in 2007. The East Coast Energy’s thermal power project here had been strongly opposed by locals who had launched a do-or-die battle stating that their consent had not been taken for setting up the plant. The then environment minister Jairam Ramesh had slapped another showcause notice on the company for promoting the power plant in Srikakulam district where it was facing farmers’ protest.
East Coast Energy Pvt Ltd’s 2,640 MW super critical coal-fired power project in Santhabommali Mandal is also facing protests from farmers and fishermen regarding land acquisition and the issue had flared up when farmers had been killed in police firing.
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