Jogulamba Gadwal (Mahabubnagar): Villagers in Pedda Dhanwada, Rajoli mandal of Jogulamba Gadwal district protested against an ethanol factory on Wednesday. The factory, built by Gayatri Renewable Fuels Private Limited, is being constructed with Rs 190 crore on 30 acres near the Tungabhadra river. Residents from 12 nearby villages oppose the project, fearing it will harm their farms and the environment.
Police placed several farmers under house arrest the night before and increased security at the site, sparking public outrage. Early in the morning, hundreds of villagers, including women and the elderly, rushed to the site when they noticed construction starting again. They were angry to see JCBs, tents, and a large container there. In the ensuing chaos, protesters set a container on fire, overturned vehicles, broke earthmover windows, and dismantled temporary structures. Police, caught off guard, struggled to control the situation.
Gadwal DSP Mogulayya arrived at the scene, urging calm and warning against taking the law into their own hands. He promised legal action if violations were found. Villagers remain determined to fight, insisting they won’t let any polluting industry ruin their livelihoods.
For two years, locals have peacefully protested, asking authorities to stop the project over environmental concerns. They claim no public hearings or proper consultations happened before granting the factory permission. Inspired by pollution issues from similar factories in Chittalur, Narayanpet, and Parlapalli, Karimnagar, farmers fear their fertile land will become barren. Leaders like Congress’s Sampath Kumar, MLC Challa Venkata Ram Reddy, and local MLA Vijayudu previously supported the protest. Officials halted work and promised not to resume without public consent, but recent events suggest otherwise.
