Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (RD/CN)
Udupi, Mar 8: The district youth wing of Jamat-e-Islami Hind staged a protest rally from service bus stand to deputy commissioner’s (DC) office here on Tuesday March 8, urging the state administration to shut down the Udupi Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) power plant in the district, as it was operational without undertaking a detailed study on bearing capacity in the eco-sensitive region.
The protesters alleged that the ash-mound located in the region has been polluting the water bodies, the locals are suffering from respiratory complications due to fly ash, and agricultural crops including sericulture have been widely affected by the coal-based power plant.
The office-bearers of youth wing of Jamat-e-Islami Hind, in their memorandum submitted to DC Hemalatha, urged Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to direct the concerned authorities to shut down the UPCL power plant in order to avoid future calamities.
Dakshina Kannada Jamat-e-Islami Hind president Mohammed Kunhi, district Raitha Sangh president Vijay Hegde, Akbar Ali, and district convener Hussein Kodibengre were present on the occasion.