The Hindu

• Company is laying pipelines to draw sea-water for its coal-based plant 

Udupi: President of the executive committee of Nagarjuna Virodhi Horata Samiti Vijaykumar Hegde said on Thursday that the organisation would oppose the laying of pipelines by Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL), formerly Nagarjuna Power Corporation Ltd, to draw water from the sea to the plant and later discharge the used water. The 1,015-MW coal-based thermal power project is coming up at Yellur village in Udupi district.

Mr. Hegde told presspersons here that the company was trying to lay the pipelines without informing the people about it. The residents of 334 houses in the area had decided to move the court on the issue.

he Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) had issued land acquisition notices to people for laying the pipelines for the intake from the sea and discharge of used water. “This is a high-handed move. The Government is giving more than necessary co-operation to the company,” he said.

Mr. Hegde said that the company had no proper environment clearance for its thermal power project. Various organisations from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts were planning to launch an agitation on the issue of laying pipelines. “The 334 families will stage a protest in front of Deputy Commissioner’s Office here on August 30,” he said.

Tree felling

Mr. Hegde said that trees on the lands belonging to Odi Muggera in Yellur village in Udupi district were cut on Thursday although his case was pending in the courts. Mr. Muggera’s land and house are located in the compound of Udupi Power Corporation Ltd.

The Horticulture Department had not carried out a survey or valuation of the trees and standing crop on the lands of Mr. Muggera. Terming the action as illegal, Mr. Hegde urged the district administration to immediately stop the company’s activities on Mr. Muggera’s lands. Mr. Muggera told presspersons at Yellur that more than 100 trees had been cut in his 2.96-acre land. Five bulldozers were used for it and nearly 50 policemen, including Udupi tahsildar V.B. Fernandes were witness to the action, he added.

Yellur gram panchayat member Nagesh Rao said: “The company’s action is illegal because Mr. Muggera’s case is in the courts.”

Manorama slams felling

MP Manorama Madhwaraj told The Hindu, after visiting the village, that Mr. Muggera’s entire land had been bulldozed. “I am extremely sad. The entire State Government, including Home Minister V.S. Acharya and the Deputy Commissioner are supporting the power project.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claims to be very much concerned about the poor. Is this the way to show their concern for poor? If they are bent on completing this project, they can go for a gas-based one instead of coal-based,” she said.