Udupi: Padoor Residents Stage Protest over Grievances on Initial Works on ISPRL


Pics: Inchara Digitals
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD/SB)


Udupi, Aug 10: The local residents of Padooor under Majoor gram panchayat here staged a protest led by taluk panchayat member Arun Shetty Padoor on Monday August 9, opposing the inconvenience caused to the locals due to the initial stage of works on Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL).

The protestors alleged that the main road laid under Pradhan Mantri’s Gram Sadak Yojna, from UBMC School, Padoor up to Shantigudde is in a dilapidated state due to heavy vehicular traffic of ISPRL. The students of Padoor and Karandady Schools are suffering the most, due to heavy vehicular traffic from Majoor Circle to project site.

The blasting of boulders using explosives is causing noise pollution in the locality and also caused cracks on walls of many houses in the neighbourhood. The locals and students cannot move freely, as the
blasting personnel withhold the movement when due for blasting.  The labour camps have no sanitation facility, owing to which the entire locality stinks, alleged the protesters.

The roads are in deplorable condition owing to the plying of heavy vehicular traffic that has threatened the minor culverts on the road. The protesters urged the ISPRL authorities, in order to lay a diversion, to avoid inconveniences to local residents. They also urged the police to gather personal information of labourers arriving to work at the project site, since many of them are found to be eve-teasing local women and girls.

The protestors presented a memorandum to Kaup MLA Lalaji R Mendon, who assured them that the district administration would be informed of the seriousness of the issue. MLA Lalaji also cautioned ISPRL authorities to take precautions on any untoward incidents from happening.

ISPRL officer Veerabhadra Rao, who arrived at the site, said that the project would not cause any hardships to the locals. He also offered assurances to address their grievances at the earliest.

Tahsildar Prasanna, Kaup circle inspector Cheluvaraj, Struggle committee leader Dr Sacchidanand Shetty, Majoor gram panchayat president Ganesh Shetty Heroor, former gram panchayat president
Leeladar Shetty, Subrahmanya Aithal, gram panchayat member Vasudev Rao, Narayan Shetty Valadoor, Vittal Shetty and Praveen Kumar Gurme among others were present.