The Saga of Sompeta: Public Deception, Private Gains

On 14 July, two persons were shot dead by the police in Sompeta village in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh when hundreds were protesting against an attempt to forcibly take possession of land for a private 1,980 megawatt coal power plant that was planned in the area. On 15 July, the National Environment Appellate Authority quashed the environmental clearance that had been given to the project. The saga of Sompeta is one of many arms of the central and state governments colluding with the promoters to turn fact into fi ction and give clearance to a polluting project in a fragile ecological area, disrupting thousands of livelihoods.