Two separate high-level meetings will be held in a fortnight to address livelihood and pollution issues raised by people affected by the Hinduja National Corporation Ltd (HNPCL) thermal project and NTPC-Simhadri Super Thermal Power Project in Visakhapatnam district.

The assurance was given by Mr G. Srinivasa Rao, State Minister for Investment and Infrastructure, here on Saturday at a review meeting. He was responding to the agitations launched by the fishermen and others affected by 1,040-MW power plant being set up by HNPCL at Palavalasa in Pedagantyada mandal and expansion of existing power plant's capacity by NTPC at Parawada. He said commissioning of the Hinduja power project was of the utmost importance, as the State was facing an unprecedented power crisis.

Land for the Hinduja power project was acquired in the nineties and the project, in hibernation for long, was revived by the late . Y.S Rajasekhara Reddy when he was the Chief Minister.

The review meeting was attended by the District Collector, Mr Lav Agarwal, Mr D.K Sood, NTPC-Simhadri General Manager, HNPCL President, Mr R. Singh and Vice-President (Projects), Mr Arun Kumar.

The Minister said no industry would be set up or allowed to expand without obtaining the consent of the project-affected people and those living in the neighbourhood. He said concerns expressed on pollution by the ash ponds of NTPC and HNPCL and the issue of providing jobs to the locals would be addressed on a priority basis.

He said demands of the fishermen of Mutyalammapalem, Tikkavanipalem and Pittavanipalem would be taken into consideration.

Villagers from Palavalasa complained that the Hinduja management had failed to provide jobs to the locals.

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