Environmental activists and local communities on Thursday raised their voice against the proposed exploration of oil and natural gas in the Konaseema region of the Krishna-Godavari basin during an Environmental Public Hearing conducted by the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB).
The hearing, which reportedly began two hours after the scheduled time, irked locals. “The delay is an attempt to discourage the gathering from participating in it,” the locals alleged, blaming the officials for poor communication over the project and a lack of transparency in the Environmental Impact and Assessment (EIA) details.
Nearly 150 persons from different sections of society were present at the public hearing conducted amid the deployment of nearly 60 police personnel at the Zilla Parishad High School at Kesavadasunipalem village in Sakhinetipalli mandal of East Godavari district.
