Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Nov 5: President of Anti Nagarjuna Action Committee, Vijay Kumar Hegde, has charged district in-charge minister, Dr V S Acharya, of acting like an agent of Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL).

Angered by the statement of the minister that UPCL (erstwhile Nagarjuna) has been generating 600 mw of power presently and that 600 additional mw of power would be generated from December this year, he has challenged the minister to be present at the office of the district deputy commissioner on November 25 and give specific replies to the following questions, supported by documents. Failing compliance, he has warned Acharya that protestors armed with whips will protest in front of the latter’s residence on November 30. He was addressing a press conference on Thursday November 4.

He accused Acharya of misleading the people by stating that the company has been generating 612 mw of power as against its installed capacity of 600 mw, duly contending that the company can achieve only 65% of the installed capacity at the most. The questions listed by him are as follows:

1. For what purpose a sum of Rs 565 crore was released to UPCL through a decision taken at the cabinet meeting? 2. No permission has been given for drawing 440 kv power line through the Western Ghats. How then, will the power be supplied to districts covered by Mescom from UPCL plant? 3. What fuel is currently used for generating power, diesel or coal? 4. Who is responsible for deciding to buy power from the company at Rs 2.65 per unit, even as power is available in the coast at around 80 paise per unit?  5. Why, as district in-charge minister, you have not taken initiatives to solve problems created to the people from the effluents from UPCL plant? 6. Why are you siding with the company, which is functioning without several permissions and against which, several court cases are pending? 7. What moral right do you have to speak about adding to the current power generation of the company, at a time even the first phase itself has not been functioning properly?

Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha office bearers, Ashok, Shashidhar Shetty, Dinesh Shetty and Poovappa Poojary were present.