Payra power plant land acquisition victims’ demo in Kalapara

Payra Thermal Power Plant land acquisition victims staged a Human Chain of Dhankhali on Wednesday.

Patuakhali: The beneficiaries of 1320 MW Payra thermal power project land acquisition have made a human chain for 7-point demand including employment of 130 family members, payment of dividend from electricity sale, handover of house deeds. On Wednesday (September 18) at noon, the family members affected by the land acquisition participated in an hour-long human chain at the premises of Bangladesh China Technical Institute of Sopner Thiana Housing.

The victims of human chain said that during the acquisition of land for the establishment of Payra thermal power plant in 2014, three times the price of the land, employment based on the merit of each affected family member, 0.03 percent dividend of the generated electricity, handover of land and house documents were assured till date. It was not implemented. They have lost their land, houses and agricultural profession and are currently living inhumane lives. The house given to them in the Sopner Thikana is now dilapidated, without clean water supply and sewage system. As a result, it has become difficult for them to live here. Especially since there is no employment in the current market, they spend their days starving and half-starved. The beneficiaries have warned of announcing a strict program if their demands are not met within 72 hours.

The demands of the victims are that at least one person from 130 families should be given direct permanent employment in the BCPCL company on the basis of merit and not quota. It must be explained that 0.03 paisa per unit of electricity generated was to be given to the affected 130 families. Although the authority is supposed to pay three times the land acquisition price of Payra thermal power plant, the authorities pay one and a half times and the remaining one and a half times have to be explained to all the land donors. Everyone of the Sopner Thikana housing project should be given permanent documents by the month of October. Project MD AM Khorshedul Alam and PD Shah Abdul Mawla Helal involved in corruption should resign and all the senior project officials' own relatives and contractually appointed officials should be terminated and removed. Supply of pure food and drink for 130 families should be done soon. The authority should give a written statement in compliance with all the demands.

In this regard, Patuakhali District Commissioner Abu Hasnat Md. Arefin assured to take action based on the written complaints of the victims. Payra thermal power plant authorities were not given an opportunity to speak. - Gofran Biswas Palash