Members opposing Aqua Food Park call on Union Minister

Eluru: A delegation consisting members of the Anti-Mega Aqua Food Park Committee met Union Food Processing Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyothi in New Delhi on Sunday to apprise her of the dangers involved in the contamination of water meant for drinking and irrigation purposes.  

It may be recalled that the Centre had sanctioned a Mega Aqua Food Park to Andhra Pradesh and it was decided to set up at Tundurru village in Bhimavaram rural mandal by Ananda Group of Companies. 

However, the villagers of Tundurru, Kamsali Bethapudi and Jonnalagaruvu expressed fear over the contamination of drinking and irrigation water sources due to aqua food park. They have been protesting over it for the past four years.

The villagers' contention was that if the Aqua Food park was established at Tundurru village, the main water source Gonteru drain would be polluted and it would affect nearly 30 villages. They also expressed fear about the setting up of a big ammonia plant in the factory.  

Following the fears and contentions, the Delegation of Anti-Aqua Mega Food Park Agitating Committee comprising convener Areti Subrahmanyam (Vasu), Muccharla Trimurthulu and Koyye Sampath met Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyothi. However, as she was about to go and participate in the campaign of Gorakhpur byelection in Uttar Pradesh, she entrusted her personal secretary Abhinav to talk to them.

The Anti-Food Park Committee leaders met Abhinav at his office and submitted a memorandum. They apprised him of the dangers involved in setting up of the food park in polluting drinking water sources and destroying paddy field across lakhs of acres covering 30 villages.

They alleged that the state government used police force against them and filed illegal cases to suppress the movement. They demanded immediate action against the management of the Anand Group for the misuse of subsidy and stop works relating to the setting up of the food park. The personal secretary of Food Processing Minister has assured the delegation that he would bring the issue to the notice of the Minister.