Gondamara dead against coal-based power plant

Villagers gathered in their hundreds at a rally yesterday and declared to resist any move to set up the proposed coal-fired power plant in Gondamara of Banshkhali upazila.

Around 5,000 people assembled at Paschim Gondamara Government Primary School ground under the banner of Gondamara House and Graveyard Protection Movement Committee.

"The residents of Gondamara will not hold any protest if S Alam Group [the firm hired to construct the plant] does not run any activity or excavation work to set up the coal-fired power plant. Otherwise, new programmes would be announced and the locals would even sacrifice their lives to resist setting up of the plant," said Liakat Ali, convener of the committee.

On April 9, the committee postponed its protest after Chittagong district (south) Awami League leader Abdullah Kabir Liton sought 15 days' time to resolve the issue.

Liakat, an ex-chairman of Gondamara union, told the rally that their expectations were not met in the last fifteen days.

Meanwhile, the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports expressed their solidarity with the rally.

Liakat said, "Residents of Gondamara do not believe in any 6 or 9-point demand; we have only one demand -- no coal-fired power plant at Gondamara."

On April 4, four people were shot dead in a clash between law enforcers and locals in Gondamara.

Liakat said they were not against development, and urged the government to set up a deep-sea port or industrial zone or solar or wind based power plant to develop the area.

He urged the government to take public opinion about the coal-based power plant.

Liakat also said none of the "police officers who had opened fire" on the villagers on April 4 was suspended.

The government is poised to set up the 1,224MW power plant in 650 acres of land in Gondamara, which locals fear would displace people, cause immense environmental damage, and hurt their livelihoods.