Five injured in protests against Himachal hydropower project

SHIMLA - Protests against a hydropower project in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district took an ugly turn Sunday evening when five people were injured in clashes between the local villagers and the hydropower company’s contractors, police said.

Noted environmentalist Rattan Chand, 65, was among the injured.

“Five villagers were injured this (Sunday) evening when they were gathered against the construction of Hul hydropower project near Chamba town,” Superintendent of Police Madhu Sudan told IANS.

He said the villagers were staging a protest to express opposition to the construction of the 3.8-MW project by an Andhra Pradesh-based company on a tributary of the Ravi river. During the protest, somebody allegedly fired at them and the villagers alleged it was the company’s contractors.

However, the police officer declined to comment that whether the injuries on the people were caused by gunshots.

“The injuries would be verified only after the medical report. A case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) has been registered,” he added.

He said the situation in villages located near the project is tense but under control.