'NTPC should heed Odisha concerns about effects of Chhattisgarh project'

The NTPC should address the concerns of people in Odisha villages who will be adversely affected by its 1,600 MW project at Lara in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has told the central government.

The NTPC project at Lara, which is about two kilometres from the Odisha border, will affect 27 villages in Jharsuguda district by its smoke, dust and green house gases, Patnaik said in a letter to Union Energy minister Piyush Goyal.

Of these 27 villages, six villages are likely to be severely affected, Patnaik said.

"It is learnt that public hearing regarding Environment Impact Assessment has been done in the villages to be affected by this project in Chhattisgarh, but no public hearing has been done in villages to be affected in Odisha," the chief minister said.

It is also learnt that CSR activities in nine villages in Chhattisgarh have also been started by NTPC.

"There will be serious impact on the environment, livelihood and health condition of the people of these 27 villages of Odisha when this project is commissioned," said the chief minister.

"I would, therefore, request you to direct the NTPC authorities to address the genuine concerns of the project affected people of our state," he said.

--IANS

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