Karnal, April 1 -- Situated 10 km from Yamunanagar town, Rattanpura was once a bustling place like any other village in the vicinity, but pollution has forced the villagers to remain confined to their homes. The residents of about 300 homes at Kayampura panchayat, of which Rattanpura is a part, live adjacent to the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant (DCRTPP), which spreads over 1100-acres of land. At the plant, there are two 300MW units, which were commissioned during 2008-09. However what triggered fresh worry is a new extension unit and the apprehension of more pollution in the future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April last year laid the foundation stone for this 800 MW capacity additional high-efficiency ultra-supercritical thermal unit, as an extension of the two existing units. Villagers blame the constant pollution caused by flying ash from the chimney and the plant for making their lives miserable. A resident, Satish Rana said that the villagers are so upset that they are now adamant on the demand to shift the whole village to another place away from the plant. Sarpanch Raj Kumar said that every room in his house remains covered with ash and health problems are common in the village. "People are suffering from allergies, lung, and heart problems. There is a burning sensation in the eyes and red rashes constantly appear on the body. We can't hang our clothes or keep food out in the open. With this new plant, the pollution will increase. The coal crushing at night emits more ash, which scatters throughout the area with the wind," he said. Kumar further said that relatives from other villages avoid visiting them, and, in fact, young men can't find brides. Former village sarpanch Jitender Rana said cattle are also affected as the ash mixes with fodder and is consumed by the animals. Last year, the whole panchayat, joined by several villagers, met the district administration demanding their relocation. Yamunanagar BJP MLA Ghanshyam Das Arora raised the issue during the recently concluded budget session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. During a question asked on March 7 in the Assembly, the MLA asked the government about pollution from the fly ash and if there was any proposal to shift the village. In response, the government informed that the ash handling system at DCRTPP, Yamunanagar, was functioning properly, and thus, there was no such proposal. Speaking to HT, Arora said, "Even a report was presented in the Assembly, depicting that there was no adverse effect, but villagers are adamant on relocation. I've suggested forming a panel that will meet and visit the villagers to find a way out." Haryana development and panchayat minister Krishan Lal Panwar also informed the House that a committee of technical engineers will be constituted to study the management of ash being generated from the plant and other related technical aspects.On its website, Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL), which operates the state's own power generation projects, has maintained that the power plant has been designed for "zero effluent discharge" and thus has very little environmental impact on the adjoining and nearby villages....