Udupi: Use of UPCL Fly Ash for Highway Widening Incenses People

Inchara Digitals
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 3: Use of fly ash from Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) thermal power plant near Padubidri for highway widening work being executed by Navayuga Constructions Ltd came in for bitter criticism by the people of Yermal and neighbouring villages on Thursday February 2.

The company, which has bagged contract for developing national highway 66 stretch between Kundapur and Suratkal, had come in for praise for speedy execution of work in the initial stages. In the recent past however, its speed has come down. Added to this, with the use of fly ash for highway becoming a controversial issue, the company has earned wrath of the people even further.

The people of the region have accused the contracting company of entering into a secret pact with UPCL for use of the latter’s waste product, fly ash. They have accused UPCL of making all out efforts to empty its stock of fly ash by entering into an agreement with the highway contractors. Hundreds of truck loads of fly ash were emptied on the highway stretch near Brahma Baidarkala Garodi in Yermal Tenka for increasing the height of the road.

The protestors have accused the contractors of entering into a secret understanding with UPCL for supply of 20,000 tipper loads of fly ash instead of soil, and pocket about Rs 4,000 crore saved as a result. The protestors, however, ensured that the fly ash was moved back to its original place.

The local villagers alleged that officials of Navayuga Constructions Ltd had negotiated with the owner of a local hillock for removing soil from there for increasing road height. After the negotiations fell through because of financial disagreement, the contractors tried to use fly ash, to the detriment of the people’s health, the locals alleged. They said that fly ash contains 70 percent carbon as well as arsenic, sulfur, methane, lead, mercury etc, which are lethal for the people’s health. They said these elements can get mixed with rain water and pollute the well water in the region, spelling disaster for the local populace.

Nandikoor Janajagruti Samiti, which has been spearheading an agitation against UPCL, when contacted, said that a complaint in this connection had been handed over to senior environmental officer of the district, Kumar, on behalf of the Samiti, by Balakrishna Shetty, Vidya Dinakar andJayant Padubidri, its office bearers. They said that they were given to understand by the environmentalists that fly cash can be used only for levelling waste land, and not in coastal regions where environment is fragile.

Padubidri police visited the protest site and asked the contacting firm to suspend works till documents in support of the same are furnished. The company began work again within half an hour, and locals resorted to protest again, compelling the concerned to halt work. The company then started shifting back fly ash in tippers for some time, and abandoned the same thereafter. Protestors then arranged to keep a watchful eye on the site even during the night to stop any foul play.

The villagers said that they will resort to stronger measures of agitation with the help of various organizations and people, if the company overlooks their protest and begins to use fly ash for road works again.