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Ryots opposed to ONGC refinery chase Kakinada MLA

Correspondent

Kakinada: Local MLA Mutha Gopalakrishna had to incur the wrath of thousands of farmers of Sampara constituency for his open stance favouring location of the ONGC refinery project that forms part of the Special Economic Zone in the vicinity of the Port itself. When he was arriving at the Collectorate in his car to attend the `Awareness Meet' on the SEZ project on Wednesday evening, slogan shouting protestors obstructed him and attacked his car with sticks and hurled stones. Because of the timely intervention of the police and an alert driver, an unhappy incident was averted and the MLA could move away from the place unhurt and reach the meeting hall backdoor with police escort. Following the incident, a police picket was posted at the MLA's residence and also the security at the R&B guesthouse and the Collectorate was beefed up. The ryots, who are likely to be displaced by the Refinery and the SEZ project, earlier reached the Collectorate in buses, lorries and tractors to demonstrate their strength and voice their protest for locating the project in their area, thereby creating tension. The reason for the ryots to lay siege of the Collectorate was the reported decision of the Chief Minister to go ahead with the acquisition of 10,000 acres of land in the vicinity of Port, totally affecting the ryots of 13 villages. The differences between the Sampara MLA Bullebbai Reddy and Mutha Gopalakrishna on the location of the project has led to the friction forcing the ryots to demonstrate their strength.

The MLA Mutha Gopalakrishna did not hide his displeasure over the manner he was obstructed and hurled abuses by the ryots and raised the same in the meeting questioning the propriety before the Ministers and Officials. Recalling that people of East Godavari also sacrificed their lives for achieving Visakhapatnam Steel Plant in the past, he regretted that such spirit is lacking now and everyone was opposing it under the pretext their lands would be taken over.

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