Odisha CM seeks PM Modi’s Intervention on NTPC project in Chhattisgarh

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to protect the interests of as many as 27 villages in Jharsuguda district of the state, which would be affected by NTPC’s thermal power project at Lara in Chhattisgarh.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, which was sent on Monday, the Chief Minister mentioned that the 1,600 mega watt super thermal power project at Lara in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh is just about two km from the border of Odisha and urged him to issue suitable instructions to the NTPC authorities to address the genuine concerns of the people of the state who would be affected by its project.

While public hearing regarding Environment Impact Assessment has been done in the villages affected by this project in Chhattisgarh, no such public hearing had taken place in the project-affected villages in Odisha, the Chief Minister claimed.

The project will affect environment, livelihood and health conditions of the people of 27 villages of Lakhanpur block in Jharsuguda district of Odisha, the letter added. Patnaik also pointed out that the issue had earlier taken up with Union minister of power Piyush Goyal, and the affected people had agitated over issue several times.

“In view of the sensitivity of the issue involved, I would request you to kindly intervene in the matter and issue suitable instructions to the NTPC authorities to address the genuine concerns of the people of the project-affected people of our state,” Patnaik wrote.