Kakinada: The proposal Visakhapatnam-Kakinada Petroleum and Petrochemical Investment Region provide 5.71 lakh jobs in industries for the year 2031.

The region will attract investments of over Rs 3 lakh crore, says Environmental Protection, Institute for Training and Research in the Environmental Impact Study Assessment (SEIA) in PCPIR.

Public hearing on PCPIR, covering the districts of East Godavari and Visakhapatnam be held in Nakkapalli in Visakhapatnam on December 18.

"In the East Godavari district, date and place of the public hearing is yet to be decided," said officials of the Board of Control of Pollution AP.

However, the project reports are maintained in all panchayat and zilla parishad offices in Kakinada. The CEO zilla parishad by D. Markanedeyulu said people can read the project report at the office.

According to the report, the project will be addressed in 64,000 hectares covering a length of 640 sq.kms and identified 97 villages victim project areas.

The report says the area is ideal for the establishment of industries such as oil refineries and others. No danger of marine pollution or any other contamination due to the proposed petrochemical industries in the PCPIR as treatment plants and effluent treatment plants will be established common.

However, said T. environmental Pathanjali Rajahmundry Sastry said they are skeptical about the proposed treatment plants and measures against pollution.

He says there is no enforcement mechanism in the country and Pollution Control Boards do not have enough muscle to implement the provisions.

He felt that the industry does not adhere to the standards of pollution control and PCPIR will lead to an environment condition in the coastal strip from Kakinada to Visakhapatnam.

Both fisheries and agriculture are at risk if a large-scale displacement in these two vital sectors.