Hyderabad, Dec 17 (PTI) Tension prevailed in Marlapadu village of Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh today, when villagers, opposed to setting up of an iron ore extraction plant in the village, clashed with police, after boycotting a public hearing on the proposed plant. Raising slogans against the proposed plant, hundreds of villagers gathered outside the Zilla Parishad school in Marlapadu in Tangutur mandal, where Pollution Control Board and district authorities were holding a public hearing, police said. The Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) has entered into an agreement with Gympex, a private firm, to start mining iron ore in Marlapadu and nearby villages of Ongole mandal. However, the locals are against the establishment of the plant and mining in the area saying that a canal that is supplying drinking water to the villages, would get polluted and would also cause air and noise pollution in the area. They also contend that locals will not be given employment at the plant. After the public hearing, the protesting villagers waylaid Prakasam District Collector Kantilal Dande and other officials and deflated the tyres of their vehicles, alleging that the authorities discussed over the mining plant with outside people, as Malapadu villagers had boycotted the public hearing. "After the public hearing, the protesters blocked the officials from proceeding and police had to intervene to bring the situation under control," a senior police officer said. The villagers entered into an altercation and had a scuffle with the police personnel, when the cops intervened and started dispersing the protesters, Prakasam district Superintendent of Police K Raghuram Reddy told PTI. "One homeguard was injured, after he was assaulted by the villagers. Similarly, one woman also fainted during the incident," he added. (More) PTI VVK NP
