Mild tension in Telangana village during protest against ethanol plant

Hyderabad, Jun 4 (PTI) Mild tension prevailed in a village in Jogulamba Gadwal district of Telangana on Wednesday after a large number of villagers held a protest opposing the establishment of an ethanol plant, police said.

Scores of people gathered near Pedda Dhanwada village in Rajoli mandal where the company proposed to start the construction work and demanded the government cancel permission given to set up the plant, they said.

The protesters from neighbouring seven to eight villages allegedly burnt the temporary shelters and sheds put by the company management and also set fire to a container.

TV visuals showed some protesters turning a four-wheeler upside down and hitting it with sticks while some others pelted stones and damaged the "window panes" of an earth moving machine. Police intervened and dispersed the protesters.

The company had got a license and permission to establish the grain-based ethanol plant on a land parcel of 35-40 acres near Pedda Dhanwada village a year ago, officials said, adding that the company management also had discussions with the villagers, but they continued to oppose the plant.

The administration also tried to organise deliberations between the villagers and the company management, but the villagers were not convinced, the officials said.

The company management went to the proposed site on Tuesday to commence the work.

On Wednesday, the villagers gathered and protested, even as the company management and workers left the place, police said.

The villagers are opposing the ethanol plant as they have apprehensions that it may damage their agricultural lands and it might continuously emit some "foul gases", officials said.

Some people were also "instigating" the villagers that they have to leave their places and their agricultural lands would be completely "spoiled with chemicals" if the project came up.

However, it is a renewable energy project, and there is no likelihood of such a thing, but the villagers have their own apprehensions, officials said.

"The crowd has been dispersed and the situation is now peaceful," a senior police official told PTI, adding cases will be registered, and necessary action will be initiated. PTI VVK SJR VVK KH