Jogulamba Gadwal: Protests intensify in Pedda Dhanwada over controversial ethanol factory

Farmers and villagers in Pedda Dhanwada, Jogulamba Gadwal, have intensified protests against a proposed ethanol factory over fears of environmental pollution, water scarcity, and agricultural damage. The factory’s secretive resumption of work has triggered widespread outrage and political support.

Hyderabad: Tensions flared in Pedda Dhanwada village of Jogulamba Gadwal district as local farmers and residents escalated their protests against the proposed ethanol factory. The project, embroiled in controversy for months, is facing strong opposition due to fears of environmental degradation, water scarcity, and threats to agriculture in the area.

Reports of construction work resuming late on Tuesday night sparked a fresh wave of protests by villagers. For nearly a year, residents of Pedda Dhanwada and ten surrounding villages have been engaged in a prolonged battle with the company to halt construction. People, primarily dependent on agriculture, fear the factory will pollute the environment, contaminate water sources, and deplete groundwater reserves crucial for irrigation.

---

Similar protests were staged by farmers in Dilawarpur in Nizamabad district in January this year against another proposed ethanol factory. Public opposition had led to the cancellation of that project. The Pedda Dhanwada protests have since gained widespread support. Political leaders from opposition parties, including the BRS, have visited the protest site and extended their support.

The situation took a dramatic turn on Tuesday night when the factory’s management reportedly resumed construction under the cover of darkness, despite earlier assurances from the State government that the project would be halted pending further review.

The company’s actions, which included deploying containers and private personnel at the site, stunned locals and triggered immediate outrage. By Wednesday morning, residents of Pedda Dhanwada and neighbouring villages had assembled at the site and resumed protests with renewed vigour.

“We were promised that the project would be stopped, but this betrayal has only steeled our resolve,” said the protesters. Protesters are now demanding the immediate and permanent scrapping of the project, citing the risk of irreversible damage to their lives.

Farmers fear that the factory’s operations will release pollutants into the air and water, posing a threat to the fertile lands that sustain the region’s agricultural economy. Water scarcity is also a concern, as the factory is expected to consume large quantities of groundwater.