Villagers block traffic to protest proposed oil factory

The district administration has stayed the construction of cotton seeds oil factory in a village here following a protest by its residents and 10-day fast by the village sarpanch.
    
Angry villagers of Ganapavaram blocked traffic on the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway for four hours on Friday evening. They were protesting against the proposed oil factory, saying it would pose a health hazard to the villagers.
    
Satisfied with the administration's response, Ganapavaram sarpanch V Hanumanth Rao gave up his fast near the gate of Guntur Collectorate.
    
The Ganapavaram village panchayat had earlier rejected the application to set up the factory. However, ignoring the panchayat decision, the administration started the construction work, leading the sarpanch to start his indefinite fast.
    
On Friday villagers, including women, disputed the traffic on the busy highway. Later in the night, collector B Venkatesam passed an order staying the construction of the factory and appointed a committee to look into the matter and asked it to submit a report within ten days.