Coal Dust Sparks Protest at Anakapalle

Visakhapatnam: The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a protest in Anakapalle on Tuesday, demanding an immediate halt to the movement of Hinduja coal trucks through Parawada.

Led by state executive committee member Gani Shetty Satyanarayana, the demonstrators blocked the road at the Parawada mandal parishad office junction, voicing strong opposition to the pollution and hazards caused by the trucks.

Addressing the gathering, Satyanarayana alleged that the trucks were spilling coal dust along the route, leaving the Parawada MRO office junction, cinema hall junction, substation and Lankelapalem village blanketed in dust. He said the situation has become unbearable for residents, who are struggling to live in the affected areas. He further demanded that Regional Transport Office officials conduct raids on overloaded trucks and register cases against violators.

Satyanarayana pointed out that frequent accidents are occurring on the route, with roads riddled with large potholes due to the heavy truck movement. He insisted that Hinduja transport coal by rail rather than burdening local roads. Criticising NTPC, he said it was unjust for a prestigious company to subject people to such levels of pollution.

The protest saw participation from CITU members and villagers, including Srinivasa Rao, Appala Narasamma, Chinna, Fatima Begum and several others, all pressing for immediate action against the coal-dust-laden trucks.