Ethanol plant protest: 12 Telangana farmers held after violence

Hyderabad: Twelve Telangana farmers were arrested in connection with a protest that turned violent at the site of a proposed ethanol plant in Jogulamba Gadwal district, police said on Thursday, June 5.

Scores of villagers gathered near Pedda Dhanwada in Rajoli mandal the previous day, demanding that the government revoke permission for the project. The protesters from seven to eight surrounding villages, allegedly set fire to temporary shelters and a container placed by the company at the site

Visuals showed some protesters overturning a four-wheeler and striking it with sticks and pelted stones. An earth mover’s window was damaged. Police intervened and dispersed the protesters.

Based on a complaint by the company, a case was registered at Rajoli police station on charges of arson and rioting and 12 people were arrested and remanded to judicial custody on Thursday, a senior police official told PTI.

The complainant alleged that some of their workers were also attacked during the protest, police said.

Further investigation is going on, the official added.

The company had obtained a license to establish the grain-based ethanol plant on a land parcel of 35-40 acres near Pedda Dhanwada village a year ago, officials said, adding that the management also had discussions with the villagers, but they continued to oppose the plant.

The villagers are opposing the ethanol plant as they have apprehensions that it may damage their agricultural lands and it might continuously emit some “foul gases” and that they have to leave their places and their agricultural lands would be completely “spoiled with chemicals” if the project came up.