Ruckus at public hearing on proposed leather unit in Nellore

Nellore: Hush-hush public hearing organised by the APPCB at Gudur on the proposed leather unit in Kothapatnam village has created ruckus with protests of the villagers. They raised slogans by displaying placards against the officials at the public hearing.

Officials of the Central Leather Research Institute and local officials of Gudur revenue division along with MLA Dr V Varaprasad organised a public hearing. Villagers displayed placards during the public hearing opposing the proposed unit.

Though Gudur MLA V Varaprasad Rao tried to convince the villagers but it proved in vain. He said that it is only a shoe factory and the villagers questioned the MLA to show any order or information about the factory and he failed to satisfy them.

The MLA requested that the villagers to understand significance of organising the public hearing and asked to support for development in the region. Local YSRCP leader P Syam Prasad Reddy, who led the protesters, said that they were not opposing the industrial growth in the district, but the leather complex spoils the local environs.

He said though the area was packed with tens of thermal plants and this unit would also aggravate the situation in future with pollution from the industrial organisations. Heated arguments broke between the followers of MLA V Varapasad and YSRCP leader P Syam Prasad Reddy during the hearing.

Police shifted the MLA Varaprasad and senior revenue officials from the function hall as matter of protection. Revenue officials then announced that the public hearing was postponed.