Pawan Kalyan extends support to Andhra fishermen protesting against food park at Bhimavaram

Actor turned politician Pawan Kalyan on Saturday extended his support to nearly one lakh fishermen in Bhimavaram, which lies in the Delta region of Andhra's West Godavari district.  The fishermen are currently protesting the construction of polluting industrial units at the Godavari Aqua Mega Park. After hearing their woes, Pawan said that the fishermen are worried that the food park would pollute the Yenamadarru canal which provides drinking water and is a lifeline to the people. Pointing out that such factories should be located in non-agriculture lands and not on fertile crop-yielding ones, Pawan also stated that he was not against industrialization. He questioned the government's move to impose prohibitory orders for the last 35 days in villages and also the mounting cases against people opposing the aqua park. The Hindu quoted Pawan as saying: “Let the government withdraw its plans of promoting units that will disrupt the ecological balance. If it is adamant, I will take the help of other political parties, for example, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who are already fighting on behalf of people whose livelihoods are in jeopardy." On Thursday, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat visited Kamsali Bethapudi village in Bhimavaram rural mandal, and accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of “oppressing villagers” who were against the setting up of the Food Park. It was also reported that she demanded the government to register a case against the management of the Mega Food Park, claiming that the management had purchased the land on the pretext of setting up fish tanks, but cheated the villagers by setting up the food park.