Protest against ethanol plant turns violent in Gadwal

Hyderabad: Tension prevailed at Pedda Dhanwada of Jogulamba Gadwal district as an angry mob set a prefabricated container on fire, damaged a JCB and torched sheds in protest against the proposed ethanol factory.Hundreds of people, including women armed with sticks, marched to the area shouting slogans. However, the police used mild force to bring the situation under control. "We will not allow the factory to come up here. It will harm the environment and cause pollution," a villager said."At night, they brought the vehicles to the site, and it became clear to us that they were going ahead with the work on the factory. There is no way we will allow it," the villager further said.Meanwhile, police officials said if the villages had concerns about the proposed ethanol factory, they should raise their objections with the authorities concerned instead of taking law and order into their hands.Residents of 14 villages have been protesting against the plan to set up an ethanol factory in the area. The villagers said they had communicated their opposition to the authorities over six months ago and were led to believe that the factory would not be established. The villagers contended that the factory would pollute the Thungabhadra River and the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS).Members of a committee formed to oppose the ethanol factory said they would intensify their protests if any further attempts were made to proceed with the factory. They claimed that the factory would contaminate their agricultural fields and land. Hyderabad: Tension prevailed at Pedda Dhanwada of Jogulamba Gadwal district as an angry mob set a prefabricated container on fire, damaged a JCB and torched sheds in protest against the proposed ethanol factory.Hundreds of people, including women armed with sticks, marched to the area shouting slogans. However, the police used mild force to bring the situation under control. "We will not allow the factory to come up here. It will harm the environment and cause pollution," a villager said."At night, they brought the vehicles to the site, and it became clear to us that they were going ahead with the work on the factory. There is no way we will allow it," the villager further said.Meanwhile, police officials said if the villages had concerns about the proposed ethanol factory, they should raise their objections with the authorities concerned instead of taking law and order into their hands.Residents of 14 villages have been protesting against the plan to set up an ethanol factory in the area. The villagers said they had communicated their opposition to the authorities over six months ago and were led to believe that the factory would not be established. The villagers contended that the factory would pollute the Thungabhadra River and the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS).Members of a committee formed to oppose the ethanol factory said they would intensify their protests if any further attempts were made to proceed with the factory. They claimed that the factory would contaminate their agricultural fields and land.