Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Jun 24: Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL), which started generating power from the first out of its two thermal power plants set up near Nandikoor, Padubidri, in the district recently, has been mired in problems since the project was initially conceived. Environmentalists, fishermen, farmers, locals who lost their land, and also political parties, had created hurdles through different kinds of protests against setting up a thermal power plant in the district since the last couple of decades.
The company had heaved a sigh of relief after it successfully started generating power last month. Its joy was short-lived, as people came together to protest against the release of hot, saline water from the plant into the water way, which seeped into their farms and wells. As if that was enough, another protest has been brewing over not providing sufficient employment by the company to the local people.
On Wednesday June 23, over 68 security personnel of the plant went on a flash strike, protesting against the notice of termination issued to them. The company proposes to terminate their services with effect from July 1 this year. Under the banner of different organizations, the guards staged a symbolic strike on Wednesday.
A representative of the striking guards, Lokesh Kanchinadka, accused the company of utilizing the services of these guards to obtain secret information from the region since the last about five years. Another representative, Shekhar Hejmady, threatened to place all the facts before the house committee of the state assembly, if the retrenched guards are not reappointed.
On behalf of UPCL Mazdoor Sangh, a memorandum was handed over to the company management, demanding all facilities the security guards are legally eligible to, including standard wages, bonus, provident fund etc. Taluk Panchayat member, Neeta Gururaj, Bharatiya Mazoor Sangh district secretary, Vasant, UPCL Mazdoor Sangh president, Prakash Shetty and several others participated in the strike.