Udupi: Villagers Rise Against UPCL Power Plant, Threaten Forceful Shutdown

Inchara - Kaup
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (RD)

Udupi, Sep 29: Members of Nandikur Jana Jagruti Samiti and Raita Sangh cautioned Udupi Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) over the environmental consequences posed by its power plant at Nandikur, by staging a protest in front of the main gate of UPCL at Mudarangady-Bellibattu, here on Thursday September 29.

The people of Yellur, Mudarangady, Santoor, Padubidri, Hejamady, Padebettu and Yermal joined the protest.

The protesters hurled slogans against UPCL and demanded deputy commissioner Dr Reju to come to the location and listen to their grievances.

DC Dr Reju and SP Ravikumar Y S arrived at the spot to calm down the situation. The local farmers alleged that the saline water drawn from Arabian Sea for the cooling towers is discharged in their neighbourhood. consequently polluting the water bodies and causing health hazards to people and livestock and marine life.  The smoke from chimneys is polluting the air, and flying ash is contaminating wells and irrigation ponds, they complained. 

The district administration has not taken any action despite the instructions of the then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. The plant was issued license to generate electricity till June 2011, but the plant is running even now. The protesters urged Dr Reju to resolve the issue by October 10, failing which they would shut the main gate.

Dr Reju in response to the grievances of the protesters said that he was aware of the issues raised by them. The state administration has issued instructions to form an expert committee that will visit the villages to gather first hand information, he said, and assured them of making an honest attempt in resolving their problems. On the basis of these assurances, the protest was called off. 

Nandikur Jana Jagruti Samiti and Raita Sangh representatives Prakash Shetty Padebettu, Nagesh Bhat, Jayant Bhat, Raghuram Shetty, Timmappa Kulal, Sunilraj Shetty, Shivaprasad Shetty, Sudhakar Shetty Hejamady, Poovappa Poojary, Nitin Shetty, Harish Shetty Padebettu, Aitappa Poojary, Sumitra S Acharya, Ravindra Prabhu, Prashant Shetty Inna, Navin Shetty, Jaya S Shetty, Bhoja Anchan, Vishu Kumar Shetty and others were present.

Circle inspector Cheluvaraj, intelligence personnel Ramesh Padubidri sub-inspector Mahadev Shetty, Shirva sub-inspector K R Nayak, Kaup sub-inspector Girish provided security during the protest.