Debagada: Residents of Chepilipali panchayat in Tileibani block of Debagada district have opposed a proposed nuclear power project in the area, warning of a mass agitation if the government does not reconsider the plan.
A delegation led by Chepilipali sarpanch Chandanlal Sabar, along with ward members and other residents, submitted a memorandum to the District Collector Monday, addressed to the Governor, Chief Minister and Energy Minister, urging the government to reconsider the project.
The delegation included advocate Siddheswar Guru, ward member Sirish Kumar Swain and several local residents and community representatives. They expressed concern over the potential impact of the proposed project on their livelihoods, land and environment.
In the memorandum, the residents said a large section of the population in Chepilipali gram panchayat had been displaced by the Rengali dam project but had yet to receive adequate compensation. They alleged that several displaced families had been given K-form land documents instead of permanent land titles, leaving them facing continued economic and social difficulties.
The villagers said that the proposed nuclear power project, for which approval had reportedly been granted and survey work initiated, had caused considerable anxiety among local residents. They fear that the project could force them to leave their ancestral land once again.
They also expressed concerns over possible air and water pollution from waste generated by the project, warning that it could pose serious risks to the local population and environment. The delegation urged the government to prioritise the safety and collective interests of residents and reconsider the proposal.
It warned that a large-scale public agitation would follow if their concerns were not addressed. Residents had also submitted a memorandum to the District Collector October 23, led by sarpanch Sabar, opposing the proposed project.