Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SB)

Udupi, Feb 23: State High Court (HC) on Monday February 22 by dismissing the appeals made against the acquisition of land cleared the hurdles to lay a railway line from Konkan Railway main line to the power plant at Nandikoor here.

The government had sought to acquire land to lay three-kilometre railway line from Konkan Railway main line to the power plant of Udupi Power Corporation Ltd, earlier known as Nagarjuna Power Corporation, coming up at Nandikoor for the supply of coal to the plant.

Diwakar Bhat and three others had questioned a single judge order refusing to stay the acquisition of land at Nandikoor, Yellur and surrounding villages and argued that the notification for acquiring their land was illegal and arbitrary and against the procedures prescribed in the Land Acquisition Act. While the government and the plant contended all procedures for acquisition of land for the proposed railway line had been completed.

A division bench comprising Justice K Sreedhar Rao and Justice A N Venugopala Gowda dismissed the appeals paving the way for the railway line.

It can be recalled here that the protestors opposing the setting up of Nagarjuna power plant gheraoed the police station at Padubidri here on Sunday February 21 demanding immediate action against the people representing Nagarjuna-Lanco (UPCL), who are undertaking the works on railway line related to the UPCL.

The protestors alleged that these goonda elements threatened the locals and forcibly undertook the works, which was illegal as the land is not awarded as the aggrieved who have lost land have not been compensated. The protestors warned off Padubidri bandh if the demands are not fulfilled in a week, which now stands ineffectual with the dismissal of the appeal by the HC.