Supporters of Tata Steel in Bastar acted as a shield to prevent Communist Party of India (CPI) leaders and environment experts to visit the project affected villages and meet the people. The CPI leaders along with environment experts from Hyderabad and New Delhi had yesterday organised a public hearing on party's banner in Badanji village. It is one of the ten villages to be affected by the 5.5 million tonnes per annum (MTpA) Tata Steel plant coming up in Lohandiguda area.
"The public hearing under party's banner was necessitated in the affected village as the one organised by the district administration was held in collectorate that was against the norms," senior CPI leader Chitranjan Bakshi said. Besides Bakshi, CPI state secretary CL Patel, Adivasi Mahasabha's Indradev Nag, social activist from Delhi Nandini Sunder and environment scientist from Hyderabad Sagar Dhara left Jagdalpur yesterday in the afternoon for Badanji—about 26 km from the district headquarters. The convoy was stopped by a group of 100 people near Palli barrier—about 10 km from Jagdalpur.
