Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Sep 4: Supporters of Nagarjuna Virodhi Horata Samiti staged a dharna in front of the office of the deputy commissioner here on Tuesday September 2, demanding the suspension of Udupi tahsildar V B Fernandes. Office bearer of the Samiti Vijaykumar Hegde alleged, that the tahsildar was responsible for felling of over a hundred trees standing in the land belonging to a person named Odi Mogera.

Odi Mogera's house and land are located within the area acquired for Udupi Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (formerly known as Nagarjuna Power Corporation Ltd), which is coming up at Yellur near Padubidri. Without issuing any notice to Mogera, the trees in his land were felled. The district administration and the officials have been engaged in illegal activities with the sole aim of supporting this project at any cost, he alleged. The authorities are also initiating democratically unacceptable measures to evict people living in the project area, inspite of knowing fully well the disastrous impact the proejct will have on environment he charged.

Hegde pointed out, that the government and district administration were acting in a manner favourable to the company, although cases were pending against the project in the state High Court and Supreme Court.

Writer Rajashekhar, speaking on the occasion, asked the government to be sensitive to the problems being faced by the people of the region and note that peaceful struggles being launched by them are not aimed at creating problems for the government, but to make the state aware of various problems being faced by the local people.