Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to address the concerns of the Odisha villages which will be affected by NTPC's project at Lara in Chhattisgarh.In his letter, Patnaik urged the Prime Minister to issue suitable instructions to the NTPC authorities to address the genuine concerns of the people of Odisha who would be affected by its project.He said NTPC is setting up a 1,600 (2x800) MW Super Thermal Power Project at Lara in Chhattisgarh just about two km from the border of Odisha.The project will affect 27 villages of Kandeikela, Remata, Kanaktora, Charpali, Pithinda and Badimal Gram Panchayats of Lakhanpur block in Jharsuguda district, he said.
"It is learnt that while public hearing regarding Environment Impact Assessment has been done in the villages being affected by this project in the state of Chhattisgarh, no such public hearing has been done in the project affected villages in Odisha," said the Patnaik.He said it is also learnt that CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities in nine villages of the state have started.The Chief Minister said when the project is commissioned the environment, livelihood and health conditions of the people of the 27 villages would be seriously impacted.He said this issue has constantly agitated the people and their representatives, and that he has already taken up the matter with the Union Energy Minister in May this year.