HYDERABAD: Amid protests by villagers demanding the closure of a ‘polluting’ ethanol factory in Dilawarpur, Nirmal district collector Abhilasha Abhinav issued orders on Wednesday to stop production at the factory after holding discussions with the protesters.
The collector informed the protesters that their concerns had been brought to the attention of CM Revanth Reddy.
On Tuesday, the protesting villagers refused to allow revenue divisional officer Ratna Kalyani to leave the area for six hours, prompting police to intervene and arrest a few protesters. The villagers staged a sit-in on the Nirmal-Bhainsa highway on Wednesday, with an additional demand for the release of the arrested protesters. Some of them hurled stones at police vehicles, forcing cops to retreat. Police have filed a case against the accused.
The protesters, including a large number of women and children, said they would not budge until they were convinced that their demands were fully met.
Construction work stopped: Collector
SP Janaki Sharmila urged the protesting villagers to maintain peace. “Production in the ethanol factory has been suspended by the govt. A report will be sent to the Centre by the state govt,” she said. Abhilasha said construction work at the factory had also been stopped. She urged the protesters not to act on misin formation. “We will take action against those spreading rumours. The factory work has been kept in abeyance. We have ‘praja palana’ in the state, and the govt is in favour of the people,” she said.
Abhilasha added, “This is an old issue. They left satisfied after I informed them about the decision taken by the govt. We hope they will not engage in any more protests.”
