Daijiworld News Network - Udupi (AF)

Udupi, Nov 14: The proposed Nagarjuna thermal power project had yet another opposition with Pejawar math seer Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji opining that if the project would cause harm to the environment, the authorities must abandon the project altogether.

He was speaking at the meeting convened by district in-charge minister V S Acharya at Manipal Institute of Technology here on Monday November 13. The meeting was called in order to come at a peaceful pact between the administration and those opposing the project. But as it turned out, no solution was found at the end of the meeting.

The protesters at the meeting were represented by MP Manorama Madhwaraj, Kaup MLA Lalaji Mendon, Udupi MLA K Raghupati Bhat and leader of fishermen Pramod Madhwaraj among others.

Though KPTCL managing director Bharath Lal Meena and deputy commissioner V Ponnuraj tried to sort out differences, it was all in vain.

Nagarjuna Power Company technical director K S Balachandra Rao gave a presentation highlighting that the project was environmental friendly and would also generate employment.

The views of the protestors were supported by not only the seer but also an environmental scientist from Hyderabad Sagaradhara who said that in the north, studies by various universities have reported that coal-based thermal power projects have resulted in over 40 per cent crop loss in the radius of 50 km from the project.

Representatives of various organizations, politicians and others were present at the meeting.