Gadchiroli March 23 (District Correspondent) Former Guardian Minister of the district Raje Ambrishrao Atram has demanded that the public hearing for the proposed Wadalpeth Mining Project should be held at Aheri instead of Gadchiroli to facilitate the local people to express their views in a free and fair atmosphere.
Addressing a press conference at his Rukmini Mahal residence at Aheri this afternoon, Mr. Atram said that the public hearing is being held in Gadchiroli on March 24 regarding the proposed Steel Project at Wadlapeth. It is unfair to hold this public hearing in Gadchiroli instead of holding it at the Additional District Collector’s Office in Aheri. All the public hearings held before this regarding Surjagad Mining turned out to be a farce, Atram alleged.
Only a few favourable people are made to attend public hearings and the law is being violated blatantly. What is the reason behind this, he asked. Every time, a public hearing is held in Gadchiroli for security reasons but there is not much presence of the evil forces in Aheri taluka, so as per the rules, the public hearing should be held in the area where the project is proposed so that every poor tribal should get an opportunity to express their views in a fear-free environment, Atram said.
Letters have been sent to the Chief Minister and the District Collector in this regard. If necessary, I will personally talk to the Chief Minister again regarding this, Atram told. If the public hearing is not held at Aheri, I will take the people out on the streets, Atram warned.
Mr. Atram also raised the issues of employment of outside youths in the project, lack of technical training for locals, poor condition of the roads, large-scale forest destruction etc and said the people of Aheri assembly constituency are extremely upset over this.
If this situation does not change, a big public movement will be launched soon, warned Raje Ambrishrao. He also stated that the company should provide employment to locals and provide good basic facilities to the people in our area and assured to support the company if it works for the good of the people.
