KRRS sets April 30 deadline for UPCL

KRRS sets April 30 deadline for UPCL

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, April 9: The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) set April 30 as the deadline for the government to take decision regarding coal based Udupi Power Company Limited (UPCL) power project which is polluting the water and land besides causing serious health problems to the people residing in the nearby villages.

Addressing the ‘whip movement’ (Barukolu Chaluvali) comprising over 500 green shawl clad agitators from Udupi district unit of KRRS and Hasiru Sene here at Kadiyali on Friday, KRRS President Kodihalli Chandrashekar demanded Higher Education Minister and District-in-Charge Dr V S Acharya who is supporting and lobbying for the company to be dropped from the state cabinet. He charged that the company has violated all conditions and is functioning illegally. UPCL is anti- environmental, anti-people and anti-society. It should be closed permanently, which otherwise would become hazardous to human life, he added.

He informed that KRRS is ready for a dialogue with Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa over the issue at his convenient place either in Bangalore or Udupi. “We are ready to produce all documents to show that how the company is illegally functioning by violating environmental conditions,” he said and added that Gram Panchayats in and around the plant have passed resolutions against UPCL.

“We the KRRS members will give time till April 30 to take decision to close the company and have dialogue with KRRS representatives on the issue. If government fails to take decision by the time, we will take a decision to organise state level movement and come to Udupi to lock the company forcibly. We will take up ‘Beega Mudre’ protest,” he declared.

The agitators were arrested and released later. Earlier, KRRS members came in procession from Kinnimulkhi welcome tower to Kadiyali near the residence of Achraya. However, they were not allowed to go near the residence of Acharya as prohibitory orders were clamped up to 500 meter radius. Around 400 policemen were deployed on the occasion.