Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangalore
Mangalore, Aug 4: S P Chengappa, district spokesperson of JD(S), here on Saturday August 3, opposed the proposed Niddodi thermal power plant. He was addressing a press meet on half of district JD(S) committee held at press club.
“The district JD(S) Committee strictly opposes the 4000 MW ultra mega power project proposed by the central and state government in Niddodi. Nearly 90% of the region in Niddodi comprises of agricultural land and agriculture is basic occupation of the majority of the people living here. Setting up of the thermal power project by destroying almost 1000 acres of private agricultural land, greenery, rich crops is indeed an anti-public decision,” he said.
“Surrounding will be polluted with starting up of these projects. Taking all this into consideration, both the state and the central government should drop the power project plan, failing to which the district JD(S) will carry out a massive protest in the coming days,” he added.
Nethravathi diversion
“State congress government has already set aside a sum of Rs 1000 crore in the budget for Nethravathi diversion and the project will be started at the earliest; with this the whole of Western Ghats will be destroyed,” he said.
“In Gundya, forest reservoirs have been destroyed and animals endangered due to impact of Gundya Power project and more than 40 other mini hydel projects. This act of the state government which has declared a fund of Rs 100 crore without discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the project, which will destroy forest and endangered species, is highly condemnable,” he said.
It is quite sure that the whole of the Dakshina Kannada district will face acute shortage of water in the coming days, due to the impact of Yettinahole project, which is planned to be start soon. It is indeed a question of suspicion as the state government has been initiating various anti-social projects in the district, one-by-one and the district related ministers and MLA’s have been ignorant over these issues, he added.
Nandini milk price hike
The middle class and people below poverty line are facing problems due to continuous increase in milk price. KMF has proposed the state government to increase price by Rs 2 per litre, likewise, the state government has planned to do the same. JD(S) committee will fight and protest against this, if the prices continue to increase.
Leaders Susheel Noronha, Vasanth Poojary, Ramakrishna Shetty, Azeez Kudroli and Ram Ganesh were present.