DHNS
 
Davangere, Jul 28: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday said the State government was committed to the implementation of Nagarjuna Thermal Power Project in Nandikur, near Mulki of Dakshina Kannada district.

Talking to journalists at Harihar helipad, he said the State, which was moving on the fast lane of development, was facing severe power scarcity. In such a situation, the State could not afford to ignore any viable power projects. Already, the government had held three rounds of talks with those opposing Nagarjuna project. They had been advised to visit thermal power stations in other parts of the country and to study the environmental impact there. But, the opponents of Nagarjuna project did not seem to have an open mind on the issue, he regretted. According to the agreement between the government and Nagarjuna company, the latter would supply power at Rs 2.20 a unit to the State. Already, the government was purchasing electricity at as high a cost as Rs 7 per unit during crisis situations. “I once again appeal to the opponents of the Nagarjuna Power Project to discuss the issue with an open mind. We will implement the project without affecting the ecology,” he promised.

Mr Kumaraswamy reacted sharply to the statement by Udupi Lok Sabha member Manorama Madhwaraj of the BJP, who has alleged that former prime minister H D Deve Gowda had taken money from Nagarjuna company.
 
The Chief Minister said the government had accepted K C Reddy Committee's report on Upper Bhadra Project (UBP), aimed at providing water to parts of central Karnataka. The project would be implemented according to the recommendations and money would not be a constraint, he added.

He said a meeting of farmers and people's representatives belonging to the regions covered by UBP had been convened on July 31 and the project would be implemented keeping the ecology intact, he assured.

Border row

Asked about the fresh controversy over Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute, the CM said the Maharashtra government was unnecessarily raking up the issue and it was nothing but a political conspiracy. He would take an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister to clarify the State’s position if the need arises, he added.