Silvester D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)

Udupi, Jan 19: Entrepreneur Keshav Kunder had made preparations to start Yashwaswini fish mill and processing unit at Balekudru near Brahmavar in the taluk in the name of his wife, Umadevi. People from Balekudru Hangarcutta and students of the government higher primary school at Balekudru came together and organized a protest in front of the panchayat office against the fish mill.

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The protesters who took out a rally that started from Hangarcutta port gathered in front of Airody gram panchayat office and shouted slogans against its president, Moses Rodrigues, and immediate past panchayat development officer, who had given permission for the unit. The protesters asked the concerned not to snatch away their right to pure water and clean air.

A senior citizen and local leader, Ibrahim Saheb, speaking on the occasion, noted that a number of industries have come up at Hangarcutta in the recent past. “In the past, different kinds of trade used to be transacted through this port. However people have come together now to hold protest because it is a question of their life and death. Already drinking water is contaminated due to existing industries. The fish mill will pollute the air that we breathe. Access to drinking water has been already denied to us because of someone's selfishness. We are not prepared to lose clean air too. We have started protests. We have to intensify them and be strong enough to drive the fish mill unit away from here”, he said.

BJP Kundapur Mandala president, Kadooru Suresh Shetty, said that no one can remain quiet when the issue of land and water comes up. “Business too should flourish only after winning over love and confidence of the local people and not after engaging in friction with them. We too will join hands against industries such as this as they cause problems to the people”, he said.

“People have been opposing this industry since the beginning. The issue had died down after taluk panchayat executive officer's court ordered for cancellation of the licence to this unit. However the entrepreneur secured a stay order from the high court for the said order, which allowed him to shift fish cutting unit from the old building to the new. But businessman Keshava Kunder has gone ahead and taken initiative to start fish crushing unit after holding Puja on Sunday evening. The villagers who came to know about it opposed it and protested by blocking the road. Brahmavar police circle inspector said that the high court has not permitted to set up fish powder unit here. If the concerned want to start the unit, let them start only after getting clearance from high court”, he advised.

Arguments between the police and villagers: Some protesters during protests went in the panchayat office, but Kota police station sub-inspector (SI), Rajgopal, who got annoyed at this development, refused entry and permission into the office. The villagers, who got angry at him, started arguing with the SI. The protesters had also alleged on Sunday that the police have been supporting the businessman in question.

Denis D’ Souza, Suresh Adiga, Anthony, and Manjunath Balekudru, panchayat members, Rajesh, vice president, Baby Salian, zilla panchayat’s Raghavendra Kanchan, taluk panchayat member, Jyothi and others participated in the protest.