BJP alleges villages face hazards by oil storage plants project

BJP alleges villages face hazards by oil storage plants project

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Mar 26, 2015:  In an informal interaction with media,  District BJP President Tingalay Vikramarjuna Hegde said  the storage plants of crude oil and other petroleum products set up in the unlined caverns under Global Strategic Petroleum Reserves (GSPR) at Padur has encroached on the rights of and justice to farmers and people.  He went on to say as many as seven villages are affected. Although 68 ft width pipeline would be passing through 60 acre of land, landowners in the area would also be losing additional land as another 60 ft width land is reserved on either side of the pipeline under the project. Hence, total of 498 ft land is reserved for the purpose.

The seven villages affected are :  Padur, Kalthuru, Belapu, Inna, Yelluru, Santhuru and Nandikuru. As per Section 3 of Land Acquisition Act, 1961, land losers would receive only 10 per cent of estimated value of land. The estimated value is Rs 4,000 per cent. However, they are paid only Rs 400. Currently, market rate for the same land is around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000.  Officials are into land acquisition process for the second phase of the project it is stated.

It is being said that power connection would also be drawn from UPCL thermal power project in Nandikur. The tower for 600-kilowatt pipeline would also destroy four villages.  Demanding that the tollgate should not be active before 95 per cent of work is completed, Hegde said only 80 per cent of the work of road widening has taken place at NH-66.   The NH officials have assured that the work would get over by mid May. BJP would oppose the setting up of tollgates unless the work progresses.

Tingalaya said Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje would hold an official meet to discus the issue on March 30. He said as many as 1.5 lakh members are inducted into party as part of the membership drive launched by the party. The campaign would end on March 31 and the party has the target of reaching 2.5 lakh members. However, the party would surely get around two lakh members by end of March.