Kovvada Nuclear Park to displace 1,500 families

SRIKAKULAM: With fishermen and other people of Ranasthalam mandal protesting against the proposed 9,000 MW Kovvada Nuclear Park (KNP) on one side, local politicians, on the other, are trying to speed up the construction of the park. This has resulted in differences between people of two groups--the fishermen who will be affected directly if the construction of the plant materialises and the landlords who have colluded with local Congress leaders and face no threat from the plant's establishment.The internal politicking among local leaders began in early November when 80 Congressmen led by former Ranasthalam ZPTC G Lakshamana Rao from Patarlapalli, Surampeta and Kotapalem villages, which do not face any threat due to the park, met Vizianagaram MP Botcha Jhansi requesting her to give a nod for building the KNP if the government was paying decent compensation to the displaced. Following this, Jhansi held talks with the authorities of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).When the fishermen learnt of this, they called a gramasabha and questioned the leaders whether they had given a written acceptance to her to go ahead with KNP's construction. To this, the Congress leaders replied that they never gave any letter to her. However, the Vizianagaram MP said that the group of leaders had sent a letter to her to announce better compensation for the displaced as they were in favour of KNP.According to M Polisu, a staunch opponent, NPCIL authorities have colluded with political leaders and are trying to weaken our protests against the park."It is the personal opinion of the Congress leaders that they are fine with the construction of the park. We oppose it tooth and nail," he added.Local leaders are claiming falsely that we are fine with the construction of the park if we receive decent compensation, locals said and added that no officials were allowed to set up any park or company by ruining fishermen villages.Also, the tension between landlords and fishermen over the issue is likely to increase as they are divided over it.As in the Chipko movement in which the main protestor used school children to pass the message to save trees, the NPCIL too is distributing comic books among students in Kovvada, Chinna Kovvada and Ramachandrapuram which fall under the zone I of the nuclear park. A questionnaire was given to students indicating that the KNP was not a threat to agriculture. Learning about this, protesters have revolted against the distribution of the questionnaire to kids.