NELLORE: While YSR Congress’s Gudur legislator V. Varaprasada Rao is backing the proposal to establish the proposed Krishnapatnam International Leather Complex Private Ltd (KILCPL) at Kotthapatnam area in Kota mandal of SPSR Nellore district, several leaders including YSR Congress state secretary Perneti Syam Prasad Reddy and party cadres have been vehemently opposing the proposal. The complex is a joint venture of APIIC and Lidcap.
The Centre had sanctioned Rs 125 crore for the implementation of the project devised in 2008 with grant/funding under the Mega Leather Cluster Scheme of Government of India. Meanwhile, the state government had already allotted 532.69 acres for the complex.
However residents and some political leaders including Mr Syam Prasad Reddy have been opposing the project, so much so that they did not allow even the construction of the compound wall or access roads and drains in the site despite the fact that the Centre had sanctioned Rs 31.25 crore for the infrastructure.
Quoting APIIC officials, Mr Varaprasada said that 147 firms were ready to set up their units at the complex.
This would be a boon to the unemployed going by the job possibilities, estimated to be around 15,000 or so, that would come up in the backward area with the setting up of the complex.
However Mr Shyam Prasad alleged that livelihood of nearly 10,000 fishermen in the region would be at stake if the complex became a reality.
Mr Shyam Prasad argued that KILCPL had obtained environment clearance for tanning and also consent for establishment (CFE) as well as consent for operation (CFO) for tanning from AP Pollution Control Board by claiming that they will make only shoes in the complex.
“It is a known fact that tanneries would pollute both water and environment and cause serious health hazards. Tamil Nadu government had closed down 400 odd tanneries few years back, in view of serious pollution. The tanneries would process 250 to 300 tonnes of raw hides and skins of cattle, sheep and goats per day. There will be heavy pollution of seawater since nearly 30 million litres of water will be drawn from the sea for processing the skins. A de-salinisation plant has been proposed in 50 acres and 8,400 million litres of treated water will be released back into the sea. The pollution would seriously affect the aquatic wealth in the ocean and deprive livelihood for the fishermen in the region,” Mr Reddy observed.
