News and Pics by Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (RD/CN)
 
Bantwal, Mar 14: Karnataka High Court retired judge Justice M F Saldanha visited the project site of A M R Power at Shamboor, near here, on Friday March 13.
 
Justice Saldanha also held discussions with the locals who are likely to be displaced owing to the setting up of the mega power project in their neighbourhood.
 
The residents expressed their anguish and misery over the state of disrepair of the roads, delay in execution of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, cracks on walls of houses due to ongoing explosion of boulders, agricultural activities threatened by the project, and how A M R Power officers cheated a Dalit family by paying a pittance as compensation.
 
Justice Saldanha visited the demolished house of a Dalit family which was constructed under the Ashraya housing scheme in Narikombu village, near here. 

Addressing the gathering, Justice Saldanha said that the department officers are not taking a keen interest in improving the plight of local residents as their lands have already been acquired by A M R Power. 

He also extended help in preparing a detailed report about atrocities by company officers on the local residents which he said would be submitted to the state administration. 

Justice Saldanha also called upon the locals to take legal action against A M R Power through their own Santrastara Hitarakshana Vedike.
 
Sarapady gram panchayat member Adam Kunhi said that in the event of execution of the project the historical Ajilamogaru Jumma Masjid and Kadeshwalya Temple face the threat of being submerged. 
 
Vedike convener Prakash Karant and advisor Manjunath Bhat talked about the various issues faced by the locals due to the power project.
 
Vedike president Mahabala Poojary presented a memorandum to Justice Saldanha containing their various pleas. 
 
Justice Saldanha was accompanied by People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) president P B D’Sa, Komu Souharda Vedike Suresh Bhat and Mohammed Kakkinje. Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) leader Anwar Sadat, Santrastara Hitarakshana Vedike secretary Sundar Shetty, Vijay Kumar, Pramod, Sampat Kumar, Radhakrishna Shetty, Navoor masjid president K P Khader and others were also present.
 
Justice Saldanha assured them the locals that he would try to get their problems resolved and expressed concern over the environmental effects of the power project.