ELURU:Tension prevailed at Kamsali Bethapudi in Bhimavaram rural mandal on Thursday when villagers tried to prevent the Godavari Mega Aqua Food Park management from bringing the imported construction material to the project site. The villagers led by the Aqua Park Vyatireka Porata Samithi, obstructed the trucks carrying the construction material. A huge police force deployed in the village to maintain law and order, cleared the way for the trucks by evacuating people.
This ensued a scuffle between the police and villagers. During the scuffle, some police personnel and villagers received minor injuries. The police arrested 46 people, including villagers and leaders of the Aqua Park Vyatireka Porata Samithi. Some women were also held.
The protesters threw chilli powder on the police and some poured kerosene on them. The arrested were shifted to Palacole rural, Poduru and Mogalthur police stations. The villagers of Tundurru, Kamsali Bethapudi and Jonnalagaruvu are strongly opposing the setting up of the Godavari Mega Aqua Food Park in Tundurru fearing that it may cause large scale environmental pollution, besides affecting their livelihood.
Having learnt that the Godavari Mega Aqua Food Park management was bringing construction material to the project site in container trucks, the villagers tried to stop the vehicles. Sensing trouble, the police closed all routes leading to Tundurru, Kamsali Bethapudi and Jonnalagaruvu. They did not allow outsiders into the villages without any identity proof. However, the police had a tough time in preventing women from obstructing the trucks.
Aqua Park Vyatireka Porata Samithi convenor Areti Vasu, his mother Areti Satyavathi, AIDWA district secretary D Kalyani and divisional president P Poorna were among the arrested. District Superintendent of Police M Ravi Prakash visited Narsapur government hospital where the policemen treated for burning eyes due to throwing of chilli powder by agitators. Speaking to mediapersons, the SP said cases were registered against the agitators who threw chilli powder and poured kerosene on police personnel.