NASHIK: The action committee formed to save the Eklahare power project will stage a road blockade agitation on January 1. The members have appealed to people’s representatives to participate in the stir. Work on the proposed 660 MW project has been stalled for ten years. Shankar Dhanwate, chairman of the action committee to save the Eklahare power project has alleged that the government was not keen on recommissioning of the stalled project. Rather, it was interested in forming a joint venture with the industrialists. He appealed to all the people’s representatives to participate in the road blockade to be held on January 1 and save the project which is a pride of Nashik.
Deolali MLA Saroj Ahire should come forward to save the Eklahare power project. The ‘save project action committee’ has warned that, otherwise, the people’s representatives will not be allowed on the road. In the meantime, there was a hectic debate over the power project between MLA Saroj Ahire and the project action committee.
Protesters in Eklahare have been aggressively protesting against the start of Sinnar’s private power project and the project action committee, along with workers, farmers, and traders in the area have strongly protested. Discussions took place between the action committee and MLA Ahire. On the occasion, the chairman of the committee Dhanwate said that the MLA should take a firm stand to save the Eklahare power project and come forward in this regard. The committee warned that otherwise the MLA would not be allowed to return to her constituency.
The agitation is likely to intensify as the protesters are adamant on their role. Besides the action committee chairman, secretary Baliram Kamble, vice chairman Sagar Jadhav, Chandrasekhar Aher, local farmers Sahebrao Shinde, Santosh Jaygude, Prashant Patil, Shanu Nikam, and others were present in the meeting.
Appeal to the Guardian Minister
In a statement to Food and Civil Supplies Minister and District Guardian Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, NCP has demanded that work on the proposed project should start soon. NCP’s Nashik taluka president Rajaram Dhanwate and activists briefed Bhujbal about the 660 MW Eklahare power project. Bhujbal has assured that the delegation would also be taken into confidence when they will discuss the power tariff with experts once again and hold a meeting with the energy minister. NCP workers, including Vishnupant Mhaisdhune, Sagar Jadhav, Ramdas Patil, Asaram Shinde, Shanu Nikam, Umesh Jadhav, and Bunty Pawar were present.
