Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday said that “not an inch of land” will be given to NLCIL for its proposed Mines III project.
Leading a demonstration in Neyveli near here, Mr. Anbumani said that over 10,000 acres of land acquired by the public sector undertaking (PSU) in the surrounding villages had been lying unused for 33 years. NLCIL could make use of the unused lands for generation of renewable energy. The existing lignite reserves in Neyveli will last over 20 years. Hence, no new land was required for their expansion, he said.
Mr. Anbumani said the people displaced by the NLCIL in the past were neither duly compensated nor their family member given jobs. Although the NLCIL was generating a revenue of ₹3,200 crores a year, people in the surrounding villages who gave up their lands for the PSU were left high and dry.
Mr. Anbumani said that NLCIL, instead of improving amenities in the surrounding villages under its Corporate Social Responsibility Scheme (CSR), had been diverting funds for setting up new plants in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh.
Alleging that NLCIL was trying to acquire land and sell the lignite to private power plants, he said the PMK would never allow the PSU to acquire even an inch of land in the region.