Udupi: Sabhapaty Leads Anti-UPCL Fight, Calls for District Bandh
Pics: Chethan Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Feb 17: Former MLA and JDS leader, U R Sabhapaty, announced his intention to join hands with the Rajya Raita Sangha to fight apolitically for the closure of Udupi Power Corporation Ltd’s (UPCL) thermal power plant near Padubidri. In this connection, he has given call for observing undivided Dakshina Kannada district level bandh on March 5.
He said that the bandh will be voluntary, and that he seeks support of the gram panchayats, farmers’ organizations, bus and rickshaw drivers and the labour organizations for making the bandh a success. He was speaking after visiting the area around the said plant on Wednesday February 16.
Sabhapaty expressed grave concern about the environmental hazards posed by the fly ash of the UPCL plant at a place located near the foot of the Western Ghats, considered to be one of the most eco-sensitive pockets in the entire world. He expressed the fear that the level of harm posed by the plant to the people, forests and animals, may spread up to 200 kms around the plant, once it starts operating at full capacity.
He accused the local MLA and MP of turning a blind eye towards the problems of the people and agriculturists. He said that the district deputy commissioner has been sending false reports about the plant’s functioning, by sitting at Udupi. He warned that the government and the deputy commissioner will be responsible for untoward incidents if any that may occur during the bandh period.
He also revealed his plans to conduct village visits by foot starting from Hejmady village on February 23, and ending on February 28.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that JDS supremo, Deve Gowda, was the Prime Minister when the project got the government’s nod, Sabhapaty claimed that the central government had not given clearance to any specific place for the setting up of the project. He said that S M Krishna government had issued clearances to the plant. He said he had always raised his voice against the erstwhile Cogentrix and Nagarajuna thermal power plants here in the past, and recollected that the then MLA, Vasant Salian, had branded him as Vatal Nagaraj of the region because of his tenacious fight.
Udupi district Raita Sangha president, Vijayakumar Hegde, said that Pejavar Swamiji Sri Vishweshateertha had volunteered to extend support for their fight against the thermal power plant. President of Udupi District Panchayats Presidents Union, Deviprasad Shetty, said that resolutions will be passed by individual panchayats at the respective Gram Sabhas against the UPCL plant, and send the same to the government through the deputy commissioner.