Udupi: Congress Shifts Stance, Jumps into Anti-UPCL Bandwagon
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Feb 24: It may be recalled that Kaup block Congress president, Gangadhar Suvarna, had a few days back, termed the protest led by former MLA, U R Sabhapaty and the JDS, against Udupi Power Corporation Ltd, as ludicrous.
In a clear shifting of the stance by the party, former minister, Vasant Salian, said on Wednesday February 23 that Kaup block Congress will stage protest against the fly ash being unscientifically dumped by UPCL in Yellur and Mudarangady areas.
Addressing a press conference here, he said he suspects that the district in-charge minister, local people’s representatives and the state government, by their inaction towards redressing the serious problems created by the fly ash, have given rise to suspicion that they have joined hands with the erring company. “To oppose this inertia, and to draw the attention of the government to the grave problems, Kaup block Congress will organize a jatha by foot at 10 am on February 28. The jatha will be taken from Yellur panchayat office to the main gate of the company at 10 am, and a protest by way of demonstration will be held at the main gate of the company till the evening,” he explained.
Salian accused the company of not scientifically storing fly ash, creating breathing problems for students, such other problems for the cattle and the locals and giving rise to other diseases through pollution, polluting wells by not pumping back polluted water into the sea, destruction of fishes because of polluted water of the company being relelased into the sea, and through this action, givin rise to the threat of epidemic diseases hovering over the area.
Congress leaders, Devaraj A Kotian, H Abdulla, Moidinabba, and Hammabba, were present at the press conference.
Pejavar Swamiji Serves a Week’s Closure Ultimatum on UPCL
Sri Vishweshateertha Swamiji of Pejavar Mutt has asked Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) to shut its thermal power plant near Padubidri in the district within a week. He has warned that in case of the company’s failure to comply with this ultimatum, a mega agitation would be launched against it with the support of the people.
He was speaking after visiting the fly ash pond of the UPCL and regions facing problems because of pollutants released by the company. “The plant should stop its operations by March 3. In case of failure, a huge protest with the support of the general public will be launched in front of the plant on March 4,” he stated.
The Swamiji, accompanied by the office bearers of the district Raita Sangha, visited Padebettu area to get first hand account of problems created by the spreading of saline water there. He listened to the problems narrated to him by the people of Padebettu village, before visiting the fly ash pond of the plant. He was moved by the plight of women, who shed tears, while narrating their woes. Some of them fell to the feet of the Swamiji, seeking his help to save themselves from total decimation. They said they have sought his help as a last resort, as no one else could be of any help to them.
After holding discussions with the office bearers of Raita Sangha, the Swamij posed the above warning. Raita Sangha district president, Vijayakumar Hegde, Mogaveera leader, Janardan Tingalaya, leaders from different villages in the region, Vishwanath Shetty Yermal, and others were present.
The Swamiji accused the people’s representatives, government and the company officials, of furnishing him wrong information in the past about the company, and misleading him into believing that the people of the region do not face problems because of the plant, as modern technology is being made use of, to produce power. “Only after personally visiting the region, have I realized the seriousness of the problem,” he confessed.
The Swamiji termed UPCL as modern day ‘Bhasmasura (a legendary destructive character, armed with divine boon)’, which has been destroying the green coast, uprooting trees and plants and heaping untold miseries on the people. He said that the mode of the agitation will be decided by the people, but insisted that it will be non-violent. He invited people from the twin-districts to join hands with him in this protest.
The locals on Wednesday stopped the company from detonating huge boulders near the fly ash pond. When the company staffs were found trying to break the boulders by using high power detonators after the Swamiji left, the locals stopped the work, saying that the activity poses the risk of damaging the environment.