PTI reported that tension prevailed in Marlapadu of Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday when residents opposed to setting up of an iron ore extraction plant in the village, clashed with police after boycotting a public hearing on the proposed plant.

Raising slogans against the proposed plant, hundreds of people gathered outside the Zilla Parishad school in Marlapadu, where Pollution Control Board and district authorities were holding a public hearing, police said.

After the public hearing, the protesting villagers waylaid Prakasam District Collector Kantilal Dande and other officials and deflated the tyres of their vehicles, alleging that the authorities discussed the mining plant with people from outside, as residents had boycotted the hearing.

The villagers entered into an altercation and had a scuffle with the police personnel, when the cops intervened and started dispersing the protesters.

The Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation has entered into an agreement with Gympex, a private firm, to mine iron ore in Marlapadu and nearby villages.

The residents are against mining in the area arguing that it would lead to pollution of drinking water and air in the area.

(Sourced from PTI)