Horata Samithi to go on hunger strike against UPCL second unit

Horata Samithi to go on hunger strike against UPCL second unit

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, August 23, 2012 : The Nagarjuna Virodhi Horata Samithi will organize a one-day hunger strike on August 27 in front of the DC’s office near End Point to protest against the government’s decision to approve the second unit of Udupi Power Corporation Limited (UPCL).

Making the above announcement at a press conference on Wednesday, Vijaykumar Hegde, president of the samithi, said that the first unit of UPCL has created several environmental and health problems for the local people. Alleging that the government made false assurances while establishing UPCL, he said that power generated in UPCL is supplied to the twin districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada only because there are no 400KV lines to transfer the power to Hassan.

Further, he said that several trees in the Western Ghats will have to be cut down to install electric poles to transmit power generated in the second unit. He also alleged that the government made false promises of providing jobs for the local people in these units.

Stating that Mescom will have to bear the additional cost of transmitting power generated in the second unit because there are no 400kv lines to Hassan, he said that public will have to bear the extra distribution costs in turn as Mescom will start charging extra per unit. 

He demanded clarifications from people’s representatives such as Jayaprakash Hegde, MP of Udupi-Chikmagalur; Kota Shrinivas Poojary, district-in-charge minister for Udupi; Katpady Shankar Poojary, president of the Zilla Panchayat (ZP); Devdas Hebbar, president of the Udupi Taluk Panchayat; and Dr. M. T. Reju, deputy commissioner of Udupi. He also urged Veerappa Moily, union corporate affairs minister, and Shobha Karandlaje, state energy minister, to issue statements about UPCL.

Stating that the UPCL will destroy the Mangalore harbor, the MRPL, as well as the Bajpe Airport, he demanded that the existing 600MW unit must be converted into a gas-based power plant and that the government must not approve the establishment of second unit of UPCL. He also demanded that the government must take proper measures to prevent damage to the environment, suggesting the use of sea water for the plant. The government must earmark Rs. 200 crore for security purposes, he added.

Among those present were Hussain Kodibengre, head of the Udupi Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (youth wing); Prashanth, head of the Bharathiya Christa Okkoota; Janardhan Thingalaya, president of the Traditional Boat Fishermen’s Association; and Sadashiva K., its secretary.