A day after the stormy public hearing conducted ahead of the setting up of the 1600 MW thermal power plant by Adani Power in Godda, the district administration has registered an FIR against JVM legislator Pradeep Yadav and several others. Besides, two others have also been arrested for creating disturbances at the site which caused injuries to DSP Baban Singh and a couple of police personnel on Sunday.
The district administration is maintaining that a group supported and provoked by the JVM legislator from Poraiyahaat initiated ruckus at Motia village near Godda when the public hearing organised got over with a large number of villagers agreeing to the assurances given by Adani Power officials.
“The public hearing had ended and people were returning at 12 noon when a group of people at the instigation of MlA Pradeep Yadav created troubles. They pelted stones at police and others gathered over there for which the police had to resort to lathicharge and firing in the air. We, based on the report of the Magistrate deputed at the place and forwarded to us by the DC, have filed an FIR against the MlA and about 200 other unknown persons. Two people involved in the incident have also been arrested,” SP Harilal Chauhan told The Pioneer over phone on Monday.
The FIR has been lodged at Muffasil police station and the police investigation into the matter is on. “The matter is being investigated. We would obtain warrant from the court and then may arrest the MlA, if required,” added the SP and updated that the situation on the ground was peaceful and under control presently.
On the other, the JVM, snubbing the ‘successful completion’ of the public hearing meant to obtain environmental clearance from the Ministry of Forest and Environment, staged protest in Godda and also in Ranchi. Pradeep Yadav sat on one-day fast at Motia village with handful of his supporters which was later also joined by JVM supremo Babulal Marandi.
“The public hearing was a complete farce and fake. The police used lathi and bullet to disperse genuine villagers. It is not a jan sunwai but a gun sunwai. We demand from the Government for cancellation of the public hearing and conduct it afresh,” said Yadav from the dharna site with participant chanting, “Adani company, go back”. later, the party organised protest at Firayalal Chowk and burnt effigy of the State Government.
The district administration and Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) representatives along with Godda MlA Amit Mandal and around 4,000 villagers from the affected areas participated in the hearing which got video recorded.
The company representatives present on the spot made it clear that all the apprehensions expressed by certain group of people about air emission and water uses would be taken care of with best pollution control mechanisms of international standards and no extraction of ground water.