Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Sep 26: On Monday September 25, people of Ellur gram panchayat obstructed work on solid waste processing unit of Kaup municipality proposed to be set up within Ellur gram panchayat limits near Padubidri.
Work of building compound wall around ten acres of land sanctioned by the deputy commissioner for Kaup municipality at Ulal Kadu area in Ellur gram panchayat limits, has been going on since the last two days.
Gram panchayat members who visited the project site said that the gram panchayat had passed resolution against the solid waste processing unit here and that objection letters had been sent to the chief officer of Kaup municipality and tahsildar of the taluk accordingly. They said that the concerned were wrong in executing the work without informing the pancyat and asserted that they would not allow this centre here. Vice president of the panchayat, Jayant Bhat, said that an emergency meeting of the gram panchayat would be convened on Tuesday, resolution against the project would be passed again and objection letter would be sent again.
"People of Ellur gram panchayat have suffered a lot because of UPCL project. We will not allow solid waste unit here at any cost. We have experienced that at the beginning, people dole out various promises, and later forget about them. Let the municipality and gram panchayats dispose off waste within their respects limits. Their waste should not be dumped in our village," he insisted.
Jayant Bhat wanted to know from MLA, Vinay Kumar Sorake, about the problems of Ellur if any which have been addressed by MLA, Rai. "Sorake keeps issuing statements about waste processing unit here. How much grant he has sanctioned for Ellur so far? He is liberal in giving grants to neighbouring Belapu gram panchayat. So let him set up the garbage unit in that village. Panchayat development officer of that village has offered to sanction ten acres of government land there," he added.
The land in question was sanctioned by the deputy commissioner, and it now stands in the name of the chief officer of Kaup municipality. Tender process has been completed, and PWD has been given work, and a sum of five crore rupees has been sanctioned at present for the solid waste unit, explained Kaup municipal chief officer, Rayappa, who added that work would be suspended now because of the opposition till receipt of fresh instructions from district deputy commissioner.