Mild tension prevails at Gajulamandyam

Tirupati: Mild tension prevailed at Gajulamandyam village in Renigunta mandal on Wednesday, as villagers from nearby villages of Gajulamandyam opposed the construction of waste-to-power generation plant. They destroyed plant’s blueprint which was kept on display, destroyed the chairs and uprooted the tents.

Earlier, Chittoor MP Dr N Sivaprasad, Tirupati MLA Suguna, MLC Dorababu, Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) Commissioner Ch Hari Kiran and other officials have participated in the ground-breaking ceremony of waste-to-power generation plant at Gajulamandyam. The MCT had entered into an agreement with Jindal company for generating power from waste.

The civic body selected the site near Gajulamandyam to provide permanent solution for garbage clearance of temple city. It may be noted that, Jindal company has agreed to invest Rs 200 crore for setting up a plant on the outskirts of the city.

The district officials have allocated 25 acres near Gajulamandyam. People’s representatives, MCT officials and Jindal company representatives have participated in the ground-breaking ceremony for construction of waste-to-power generation plant at the site on Wednesday morning.

After completion of the ceremony, people from nearby villages came to the site and raised slogans against the plant. They entered into a heated argument with the MCT Commissioner and local police officials, opposing the shifting of Tirupati dump yard from RC Puram to Gajulamandyam. The additional police personnel were deployed on the outskirts of Gajulamandyam village to avoid untoward incidents.