Telangana villagers call off protest after govt halts ethanol factory construction

Hyderabad, Nov 27 (PTI) Villagers in Nirmal district of Telangana, who had been protesting against the establishment of an ethanol factory, called off their agitation on Wednesday after the government ordered a halt to the ongoing construction of the facility.

District Collector Abhilasha Abhinav held discussions with the villagers regarding the factory in Dilawarpur mandal and assured them that the matter had been reported to the state government and brought to the Chief Minister’s attention, according to an official release.

Following the talks, the Collector issued orders to stop construction work at the factory, it added. A police official confirmed that the protest had concluded.

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The villagers, opposing the factory for nearly a year, had staged a dharna on the road on Tuesday and continued their protests on Wednesday.

They expressed concerns over potential pollution and loss of agricultural land due to the factory’s operations.

On Tuesday, a revenue department officer, who visited the protest site, was surrounded by villagers for four hours, before being rescued by police later that night.

In response to the protest, police had arranged alternative routes for traffic movement to prevent disruptions.

The villagers opposed the ethanol factory, citing concerns about pollution and the potential loss of agricultural land. PTI