Power project near Cuttack City ,Cuttack may become the hottest place in the state, an urgent debate needed.

Indian Express,Cuttack,

Public hearing to assess the environment impact of the proposed 1000 MW thermal power project of Tata Company near Naraj, on the outskirts of the city here, was cancelled for the second time on Wednesday in view of the apprehensions of breach of peace.
Officials from State pollution control board, Tata Company and senior officials of the district, who gathered at the spot for the deferred public hearing, had to make a retreat at the last moment when the local police warned that the situation was not conducive to hold the same in view of the prevailing situation at the site.
City additional DCP Deba Prasad Mazumdar, who was camping at the site for past two days, informed the district administration that the situation at Naraj was not conducive to hold the public hearing on Wednesday as hundreds of pro and anti project activists were prepared to create serious law and order situation.


PIL dismissed

A PIL filed in the Orissa High Court challenging the proposal to change the venue of public hearing on environment assessment was, however, dismissed on Wednesday. The bench of Chief Justice A.K. Ganguly and Justice B.N. Mohapatra taking up the PIL that was filed on Tuesday said: “It was too late to interfere into the matter at this stage as the public hearing was scheduled for the day itself,” the HC said. The locals had been opposing the project ever since the State government issued notification about the project in November last year.
They say the thermal power project would severely disturb the local environment and the Millennium city would be the hottest place in the State thereby putting the eight lakh populace in misery. The locals also allege that the project would deprive at least 20,000 villagers in the vicinity of their livelihood.