A public hearing for the proposed 10 million tonne annual (MTPY) capacity coal washery project of the MCl at a cost of Rs 394 crore was scheduled on Wednesday. The hearing was stopped following protest and vandalism by local villagers.
Villagers said the lakhanpur area already has three open cast mines and about 17 surrounding villages in the vicinity are severely affected by pollution.
A group of villagers reached near Collector BB Patnaik and Jharsugda RO Niranjan Mallick, where the hearing was supposed to take place and started hurling slogans against the MCl.
Villagers alleged that the OPSCB has not yet done anything to address the villager’s problems and they would not allow the coal washery project to be set up in the lakhanpur area. OSPCB Regional Officer informed the local villagers that the hearing has been called off. On February 15, in a similar incident, the hearing was canceled after villagers disrupted the hearing at Bandhbahal.
The objections raised by the villagers would be heard and forward to the Ministry of Environment and Forest, he added.
lakhanpur Area General Manager MG Brahmapurakar assured that due to advanced technology and sufficient water supply arrangements, there would be minimal pollution due to the washeries project.
In anticipation of a disruption in the law and order situation, Brajrajnagar SDPO NC Dandsena, Banharpalli IIC and Rengali IIC were present at the spot and had deployed one platoon of police force to prevent any potential threat.