Public hearing on Ambuja Cements proj put off due to severe opposition

Visakhapatnam: The public hearing on the greenfield cement plant in Pedagantyada near Gajuwaka by Adani Group's Ambuja Cements was suspended on Wednesday following stiff resistance from the people living in the area.

This is for the first time in the recent past that a public hearing held by AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) following strong protests by locals including a large number of women.

Tension gripped the area as angry protesters broke the barricades, damaged the dais and chairs. They also continuously raised slogans against the project. Hours before the scheduled time, the protesters gathered at the venue with placards reading "Adani go back" and "we don't want more polluting industries." Gajuwaka is home to several hazardous industries with the pollution levels reaching alarming levels.

Former Gajuwaka MLA Tippala Gurumurthy Reddy and Deputy Mayor and Jana Sena leader G Govind extended their support to the protesters. Visakhapatnam Apartment Residents' Welfare Association (VARWA) Gajuwaka unit honorary president Dr. Ramesh Kumar and president BA Trinadha Swamy told Bizz Buzz that overwhelming support from the residents to their agitation against the cement plant had forced the authorities to not go ahead with the public hearing as notified earlier.

Ambuja Cements Ltd in a statement claimed last week that the project will involve zero land acquisition as Adani Gangavaram Port will give eight hectares and they will use industrialby-products as their raw material.