Udupi: Locals Demand Closure of CCCL Ready-mix Plant

Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD/SN)
 
Udupi, Jun 22: A protest meet  held here on Thursday June 21, urged the state authorities to shut down the Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd (CCCL) Ready-mix plant located at Kanchinabailu that comes under the limits of Hirebettu gram panchayat.
 
The villagers led by Shivaprasad Hegde and K Prabhakar Hegde urged the authorities to shut down the plant, as it was reportedly set up without a licence from Hirebettu gram panchayat. 

The villagers alleged that dust particles of the concrete mix is causing environmental pollution on 500 acres of farmlands and also breeds a health complication among the farmers.    
 
Addressing the protesters, Shivaprasad Hegde said that 40 - 45 agricultural families are living in the neighbourhood of Kanchinabailu farmlands. "The setting up of an environmentally damaging industry in a farmland is not justified," said Shivaprasad Hegde.
 
CCCL Ready-mix divisional officer Laxminarayan said that the plot where the plant was set up belongs to MAHE, Manipal, who have authorized the company to set up the plant.  The company has asked MAHE to provide an alternative plot, owing to the opposition of local farmers, said Laxminarayan.
 
Varadaraj Hegde urged the company officials to give in writing to the Hirebettu gram panchayat, when they plan to shut down the plant, to which the officials agreed.
 
Hirebettu gram panchayat Sharat Shetty, vice president Kusuma Poojary, Alevoor gram panchayat president Harish Kini, ZP steering Committee president Upendra Nayak, Prashant Hegde, Kodibettu gram panchayat president Laxminarayan and hundreds of local peasants were present.