HYDERABAD: Various civil society groups have appealed to the Government to postpone the Environmental Public Hearing for Indira Sagar (Polavaram) project scheduled on October 10.

A representation was submitted to Chief Secretary and other officials concerned. In a statement, representatives of some 10 organisations said that the public hearing was being organised in a "hush-hush" manner without putting out detailed information on the proposed project, including the detailed project report and the reports on Environment Impact Assessment/ Environment Management Plan, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Plan and Cost Benefit Analysis. They said that the Government made no effort to inform tribals that a large number of them would be displaced and that it could cause irreparable damage to the forest wealth.

`No publicity'

There was no publicity for the hearing and a majority of the people to be affected were not aware.

They demanded that the information be provided in the language spoken by the people, giving them two months time to study and react.

Villages inundated

Another reason for seeking postponement was that several villages were still inundated. The signatories included Kunjam Rama Rao of Agency Girijana Sangham, K. Kotayya of Rythu Coolie Sangham, M. Kodandaram of Telangana Vidyavanthula Vedika, S. Jeevan Kumar of Human Rights Forum, M. Sambasiva Rao of Telangana Natural Resources Management Group and P. Jayaprakash Rao of National Front for Tribal Self Rule.

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