Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Development and Panchayats Department, Haryana, Vijayendra Kumar, along with Director Anish Yadav and Deputy Commissioner Preeti, held a meeting with residents of Ratanpura and Kayampur villages at the rest house of Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant (DCRTPP) in Yamunanagar.
Officials from the thermal power plant also attended the meeting, where the issue of fly ash affecting the villagers was discussed. ACS Vijayendra Kumar directly interacted with the residents of Ratanpura and listened to their concerns. Villagers expressed that fly ash from the plant was settling in their area and adversely impacting their health.
Speaking to the media, the ACS said that the villagers had demanded relocation. He stated, “We asked them where they would prefer to relocate. They suggested being accommodated in the thermal plant colony, nearby villages such as Fatehpur and Naya Gaon, or on the 15–16 acres of Panchayat-owned land within their village.”
He added that the committee had taken note of all concerns and would forward its recommendations to the government, which will take the final decision.
After the meeting, ACS Vijayendra Kumar and other officials visited Ratanpura and Kayampur villages to assess the situation. Local women reported that ash from the thermal power plant contaminates their food and water, leading to frequent illnesses. The demand for relocation was prominently raised.
Officials assured the villagers that their concerns had been taken seriously and that further action would be taken based on the report.
The meeting was also attended by Zila Parishad CEO Sushil Kumar, Jagadhri SDM Vishwanath, HPGCL Technical Director Amod Jindal, DCRTPP Chief Engineer Raman Sobti, Superintending Engineer Amit Bhalla, DDPO Narendra Singh and other officials.