Telangana: 7 cops injured as protest against ‘unecological’ Ethanol plant in Narayanpet turns violent

Around 11 am on Sunday, nearly 200 villagers took to the streets in order to protest against the ethanol plant of the Hyderabad-based Jurala Organic Farms and Agro Industries Ltd during which they successfully halted a tanker.

The protesters alleged that the tanker was carrying pollutants from the ethanol plant located near the village.

“They have also alleged that one child in the village suffered some allergy. They believe it was due to the plant polluting the water in the area. But the proof of it has not been established yet,” an officer from the Marrikal police station told South First on condition of anonymity.

While the district authorities sought to placate the agitated villagers by assuring them that a team of officials would promptly investigate the matter, tensions escalated with demonstrators resorting to stone-pelting.

The officer added: “The police tried to explain to the protesters that they should not stop the tanker as it’s dangerous, and they should instead talk to the collector (Koya Sree Harsha). But they didn’t listen, and that eventually led to the police trying to detain the protesters and the villagers pelting stones.”

Another primary concern of the villagers is the alleged diversion of water from the Koil Lift Irrigation plant, which is said to have been originally intended for their fields. The plant, which is considered one of the largest in Asia, can reportedly produce 600 kilolitre of ethanol.

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Stone pelting

Speaking to South First, District Tahsildar Sunita Nagalaxmi said, “The Collector sir had called for a meeting yesterday evening of the Revenue Division Officer (RDO), Tahsildar and other officials. He asked them to inquire about the issue and prepare a report. By then the protests also broke out.”

The situation became increasingly charged as the protesters, allegedly, set a police vehicle and two bikes ablaze, and damaged another.

In response to the escalating chaos, police resorted to lathi charges in an attempt to disperse the irate crowd. The situation came under control around 5 pm, the police said.

“As the protesters turned violent, we have taken action to regain control of the situation. One circle inspector, a sub-inspector and five constables sustained injuries due to the stone pelting. They are out of danger now,” a senior police officer of Marrikal told South First.