Daijiworld Media Network - Kaup (SP)

Kaup, Dec 9: A team of central environmental experts appointed for assessing and recording the environmental damage caused by Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL), visited Ullur, Kolachur and Mudarangadyi in Ellur village and put together information on Tuesday December 8.

The team has been sent here on the basis of a case filed in 2018 in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by Nandikoor Janajagruti Samiti. Joint director of Bengaluru office of the central board of environmental control, Thirumurthy, Prof Dr Srikanth and ISEC Bengaluru's Dr Krishnaraj formed the team.

Dr Krishnaraj said that the team has collected evidence of many damages caused to the environment and that the team will get reports from the departments of environment, health, agriculture and horticulture. "We have to furnish a report to the NGT before January 31. As we need to put together and scrutinise a lot of data, we may have to seek to extension of time," he said.

He said that in the past, the concern had paid a fine of five crore rupees for violations. As of now, the total loss due to this project is around Rs 177.8 crore as per the claim of Nandikoor Janajagruti Samiti and order has been issued in favour of the Samiti. He said that his team will finalise reports and file the same with the NGT.

Jagannath Molya from Ullur explained about damage to agriclture, inability to go to hospital for want of road etc. Some others stated damage to the environment, agricultural land, drinking water, health of cattle etc. The team also visited Mudarangady primary health centre and recorded ill effects on the health of the people after 2007. Bhandaramane Madhava Shetty and Harish Shetty explained about the environnmental damage caused by the project in a radius of 10 km.