Local residents block traffic on National Highway 55. Telegraph picture

Angul, Sept. 12: Local people protesting against the setting up of a thermal power plant in their locality blocked vehicular traffic on National Highway-55, connecting Cuttack with Sambalpur, for six hours this morning.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the both sides of the highway at Bamur, 80km from here, due to the roadblock.

Jana Jibika Krusijami Surakhaya committee, which has been spearheading the anti-power plant agitation for a few months, had served a notice to the Angul district administration earlier about the road blockade. They had been demanding scrapping of the project.

The blockade, which began at about 6am, was lifted around noon after the intervention of the district administration. Additional district magistrate, D. Senapati and additional superintendent of police J. Mahapatra assured them to convey their demands to the government.

“We oppose the power plant in our locality because the area is an agricultural belt and fertile. We demand irrigation project but government instead of establishing irrigation project — as announced by the chief minister — is allowing to set up thermal power plant, which will displace us largely and create pollution hazards,” said Ramani Ranjan Pradhan, who led the protest.

“We have nothing to do regarding their demands. It was the government that had signed the memorandum of understanding with the power company. We will send their memorandum for consideration,” said Senapati.

“The blockade was peaceful and lifted at noon after persuasion,” said officer-in-charge of Kishorenagar police station, P. K. Tripathy.

A 2,000-megawatt power plant is being set up at Kishorenagar area, which falls under the Assembly constituency of state transport and commerce minister, Sanjeev Sahu.