Fight against ethanol factory: Collector visits village

Rajamahendravaram: In Gummalladoddi village of East Godavari district, three individuals engaged in a hunger strike against the Assago Ethanol Industry were forcibly taken to Rajamahendravaram Hospital by police early Sunday morning.

The protest, led by Congress leader M Shiva Ganesh and social activist Patamsetti Surya Chandra Rao along with his wife Sridevi, has been ongoing for five days as part of their fight against pollution caused by the industry. Police have increased their presence in the village. Collector P Prasanthi visited Gummalladoddi to assess the conditions on the ground and interacted directly with residents about their concerns. She was accompanied by officials from various departments and members of a committee focused on the pollution issues from Assago.

During her visit, she acknowledged the struggles faced by the community due to the industry and assured residents that officials would jointly assess the situation.

She encouraged a representative group from the villagers to come forward to discuss their issues further.

The government has committed to conducting a thorough evaluation over the next week regarding water, noise, and air pollution emitted by the plant, promising to report their findings and formulate an action plan based on the results.

The visit also included discussions with the Assago plant officials, who clarified that they currently use rice husks for ethanol production. RDO R Krishna Naik, Additional SP AV Subba Raju, and other key officials from the Industries, Factory Inspection, and Environmental departments, ensuring a comprehensive approach to the community’s grievances were present.