Govt in no hurry to take up PCPIR project: Chandrababu Naidu.

There is no need for any apprehensions on the proposed petroleum, chemicals, petro-chemicals investment region (PCPIR) coming up between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada and the State Government is in no great hurry to take up the project without studying the implications, according to Chief Minsiter N. Chandra Babu Naidu.

He said the public hearing on the project, scheduled to be held at Nakkapalli in Visakhapatnam district recently, had been put off for that reason.

'There is a need for greater clarity on the project and how it should be taken up. We will not do anything to harm the interests of fishermen, farmers and others in the Vizag-Kakinada region. However, it should be realised that chemical industry does not necessarily mean pollution and advanced technologies are now available to mitigate it to the minimum,' he explained.

He said there were apprehensions that outdated, polluting petro-chemical industries from the west would be relocated in the PCPIR, but the State Government would not allow it.

'Anyway, we will take a final call on how the project should be implemented after studying all these aspects. A beach road would be laid from Bheemunipatnam in Visakhapatnam district to Kakinada parallel to the National Highway and it would be linked with the NH. An industrial corridor, or the PCPIR, would be developed along the road with all due environmental and other safeguards. There is no need to create a scare on the project and it would be people-friendly,' he explained.


HBL