Opp parties demand public hearing on uranium project

Hyderabad, Sep 13 (UNI) The opposition Telugu Desam party (TDP), AIMIM and Left parties today demanded that the government conduct another public hearing on the proposed uranium project at Tummalapalle in Kadapa district.

Participating in an all-party meet on the project organised by the 'Movement Againt Uranium Project (MAUP) here, TDP senior leader and MP M V Mysora Reddy alleged that the public hearing conducted by the state Pollution Control Board (PCB) on September 10 at Tummalapalle was stage-managed by ruling Congress leaders and officials.

Demanding another public hearing at Kadapa District Collectorate, Mr Reddy alleged that there was clear indication the authorites and influential people had colluded while conducting the hearing, by hiring people brought from other places, who were not affected.

Meanwhile, urging the government to withdraw cases filed against people who had agitated at the hearing site, CPI(M) state Assistant Secretary Y Venkateswara Rao said the government should conduct the hearing in Hyderabad and invite those who were the real victims of the project.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul (AIMIM) leader and MP Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the government-organised public hearing was a 'show' and had been concluded without considering public grievences.

CPI senior leader K Ramakrishna said 90 per cent people were against construction of the uranium project in Kadapa district.

He demanded that the Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy should intervene and solve the issue.

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