Ramgarh: The National Thermal Power Corporation which is building a mega power plant in Patratu of this district has accused the villagers of creating unnecessary pressure in the name of displacement and rehabilitation.
Media Manager of Patratu Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd Y Devashish said that PTPS was established by the state government in 1955 and till 1963 the process of land acquisition continued during which the displaced were given compensation and they were rehabilitated and also given jobs.
In 2016 as part of a joint venture between Jharkhand Government and NTPC, PUVNL has been set up during which the land acquired by the government was handed over to the company and on the same land the plant was being set up and the company has not acquired any other land, therefore, the demand of villagers for compensation was not correct.
Moreover, he said that the people are demanding for rehabilitation but when the company has not displaced anyone than on what grounds they should be rehabilitated. Further as far as employment was concerned currently work was on for building the plant and 70 percent of the workers are from Patratu area while 18 percent others are from different parts of Jharkhand.
For the last three days under the banner of Visthapit Morcha agitation was on in Patratu against PUVNL by the villagers who were demanding compensation, rehabilitation and jobs for the land acquired for the project. On Thursday evening the talks between the management and the villagers failed as the company claimed that it was not in a position to provide jobs.
The angry villagers later indulged in slogan shouting and claim that soon police order lathicharge in which several of them sustained injuries. On Friday a named fir against 6-7 people and another 200 unnamed was registered at the Patratu Police Station.
On the other hand, Patratu SDPO has denied any lathicharge but maintained that due to Coronavirus no large gathering is allowed so these people were removed as there was chance of spread of infection.