Govt converting coast into a dustbin, says Left

Dontamuru (East Godavari): The State government is converting the coast into a dust-bin, several leaders of the Left parties alleged here on Monday. However, they said they were not against gas-based and hydro power projects, but would certainly oppose thermal power projects. The leaders, including CPM State secretariat member Ch. Narsinga Rao, Midium Babu Rao, Duvva Sesha Babjee and T Arun, Ravula Venkaiah, T Madhu (all CPI), CPI (ML) New Democracy State secretariat member P Tanya and PDSU district secretary M Ramakrishna visited the hunger strike camp in this village manned by residents who would be affected by the proposed thermal power project at Balavaram, in East Godavari district. When asked by the leaders why they were opposing the project, villagers said they were protesting the 'violent attitude' of the district administration and of KPR Industries during the public hearing. The leaders criticised the government for converting the coast into a dust-bin. They expressed anguish that the State was neglecting people's agitation against thermal power projects. The leaders questioned why Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, during his recent visit to the district to lay the foundation for an industry, did not meet the victims of the thermal power project. While calling upon the people to force the government to concede their demands on location of thermal power projects, the leaders assured their cooperation to the protest programmes, opposing thermal power projects.