Environmentalists and social activists will hold protests in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu against the Union government’s public sector undertaking (PSU) Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Ltd (NLCIL) acquiring more land for its expansion plans. According to environmental activists, the NLC is in the process of acquiring around 90,000 acres of land for its coal and lignite plants.
R Sankardas, activist and director of the Socio-Economic Development Foundation, a think tank based out of Madurai, told IANS, "The NLC is to acquire huge land for its further expansion plans and this will create an unnecessary burden on the environment. The environmental and social activists are planning to conduct protest marches towards the NLC head office against this." He said that Cuddalore has already been earmarked as a mining-polluted district and further mining of coal will create major difficulties for the people of the area.
C Rajeev, director of the Centre for Policy and Development Studies, a think tank based in Chennai, said there was no need for polluting industries in the state. He added that his organisation would be conducting protests in Cuddalore and will organise seminars in Chennai against this and create awareness among the people against the side effects of pollution.
The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has been at the forefront of agitations against Neyveli Lignite Corporation's (NLC) expansion programmes. PMK state president and former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has also protested against the acquisition. Ramadoss said, "Tamil Nadu was producing around 32000 MW of power per month of which the requirement is only 18000 MW. The NLC is producing power between 800 to 1000 MW per month." He said that in this context, there was no need for further expansion of Neyveli Lignite to mine coal.