Telangana
,
Dameracherla Mandal
,
Nalgonda
Published :
Oct 2016
|
Updated :
Yadadri Thermal Plant in Telangana Gets Approval Despite Controversial Environmental Clearance
Reported by
Seethalakshmi
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
12014
People affected
2015
Year started
915
Land area affected
Households affected
12014
People Affected
2015
Year started
915
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Power
Reason/Cause of conflict
Thermal Power Plant
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
Sector
Power
Reason/Cause of conflict
Thermal Power Plant
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
1
Summary

The Yadadri thermal power plant is an upcoming project in Veerlapalem, a village in Dameracherla mandal in Nalgonda district. This coalbased thermal plant is expected to generate about 4,000 megawatt of power and is being built by the Telangana State Power Generation Corporation (TSGENCO), in partnership with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, a public sector company. The total land proposed to be acquired for the power plant is 5,558 acres, of which 4,656 acres is forestland. The power plant is proposed to be built in an area covering around 2,800 acres. The plant is estimated to displace 2,503 families who own 2,260 acres of the acquired land. Demanding land and employment as compensation, in May 2015, village residents obstructed officials from constructing a pylon for the power plant. They also vandalised a construction workers' shed and set it on fire. Previously, they had also objected to surveying the lands and voiced opposition to the project during Village Assembly (gram sabha) hearings. In October 2016, the Expert Appraisal committee (EAC) asked TSGENCO to conduct a public hearing all over again, dissatisfied with it's Environmental Impact Assessment report. The report excluded various possible effects and did not reflect reality, according to the EAC. The committee asked TSGENCO to completely redo the assessment, along with a fresh public hearing. In May 2017, the EAC approved the project, and in September 2017, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao extended compensation to farmers and reportedly rehabilitated them. However, the problem persisted. In October 2018, Congress leader Komatireddy Venkata Reddy promised to shut down the project if voted to power. Interestingly, in December 2019, the Telangana government exempted the project from conducting the Social Impact Assessment for acquiring additional land for infrastructural facilities, despite it being a necessary step in the procedure. The plant is set to be commissioned in October 2021, but the status of compensation remains uncertain.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for promised compensation

Demand for employment

Demand for rehabilitation

Opposition against environmental degradation

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Both

Forest and Non-Forest

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

29965

Type of investment:

Cost of Project

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Limited (TSGENCO)

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

No

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Human Rights Forum, Yadadri Thermal Plant Bhu Nirvasitula Committee, Congress Party, Telugu Desam Party, Communist Party of India

5
Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Author
Reported by
Seethalakshmi
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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for promised compensation

Demand for employment

Demand for rehabilitation

Opposition against environmental degradation

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

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