Belgaum: Hundreds of people protesting against Kudgi Super Thermal Power Project (KSTPP) at Kudgi, near Bijapur, turned violent and set vehicles on fire and damaged property forcing the police to open fire in the air and burst teargas shells. The police said five people were injured in the incident, while two of them suffered bullet wounds. The police have slapped ban orders under Section 144 in Kudgi town.
Hundreds of people have been protesting against the plant for the last few months, even as 50 per cent of the project has already been commissioned by the National Thermal Power Corporation after it was launched in January 2012. The protesters alleged that the project did not provide jobs to local residents, though it was promised by the NTPC officials while acquiring fertile pieces of land from them a few years ago.
“The corporation brought workers for the plant from different states in North India, instead of providing jobs to the local eligible youth. Only some locals were given petty jobs, while those eligible for higher posts were deprived of it,” says one of the injured protesters, Jagan.
As the violence escalated, hundreds of workers and labourers from the NTPC plant were seen running out of town. Two police officials were also injured in the violence and were taken to hospital.
The agitators have threatened to continue their protests till the government shifts the plant out of Kudgi. The protesters threw stones at vehicles, stopped ten trucks and tempos and set them on fire. Several police vehicles were also attacked by the protesters, though police resorted to a lathicharge.
The police burst tear gas shells and fired in the air to contain the mob. Several additional forces were rushed to the spot and the situation was brought under control only late afternoon. The police arrested 13 protesters on Saturday and many others are expected to be taken into custody.
Sources said that the NTPC and government acquired lands for the project with the consent of farmers and paid them a suitable compensation. A section of farmers was opposed to the acquisition, but later accepted the government's condition before handing over the lands.
Some local leaders were shocked with the violent incidents and said that the protesters should have waited for the plant to be commissioned in full to see whether local residents would get jobs instead of resorting to violence.
