Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Apr 26: Former MLA, U R Sabhapaty, who is spearheading a campaign to drive away Udupi Power Corporation Ltd’s thermal power plant near Nandikoor because of environmental damage, felt that Pejavar Sri Vishweshateertha Swamiji was wrong in demanding that state environment minister, Krishna J Palemar, should be made the president of a committee of experts formed by the state governments to go into the environmental pollution caused by the said plant.

“The report to be prepared by the committee has to be first accepted by the environment minister. Hence he cannot become its president. The government has, in its lopsided committee, appointed only environment experts. Exclusion of members from apolitical fronts opposing the pollution let loose by UPCL is not right. It lays bare the fact that the government has not taken into confidence those who have taken up this pro-people campaign,” Sabhapaty said.

He said that ‘UPCL Hatao Samiti’ headed by him will soon form a committee of environmentalists and affected local people, which will prepare a detailed report on the ill-affects of UPCL before May 10.