The Pioneer reported that thousands of irate villagers belonging to nine villages of Angul district on Thursday ransacked and set ablaze a public hearing camp, damaged vehicles, beat up the local MLA, company officials and many media persons at Chendipada, protesting the public hearing for environmental impact assessment for the proposed Machhakata opencast coal mine with coal washery by the Mahaguj Collieries Limited.

The proposed mining project purports to be developed and operated by the Adani Mining Pvt Ltd with an estimated cost of INR 3,400 crore.

MGCL and AMPL had arranged the meeting at Chendipada for the public hearing and its officials were present on the spot. The would-be-affected villagers of Bagedia, Machakuta jungle, Sapoinali, Machakata, Ghuntuliposi, Similipal, Basantapur, Deunria Jharan came in a massive rally, surrounded the meeting place and, before the local administration could intervene, pelted stones and ransacked the camp arrangements setting ablaze the whole canopy.

The villagers snatched away the cameras of the mediapersons and even attacked them, seriously injuring a few. Two company officials were also seriously injured. The mob didn't even spare local MLA Khageswar Behera who was also beaten up.

Following this, the mob blocked the Angul-Chendipada road, demanding cancellation of the project. The road blockade was lifted after intervention by the administration. The entire area has plunged into tension after the violent incident.

(Sourced from dailypioneer.com)