Ground water used by Nagarjuna project violating rules

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Udupi, Karnataka, Oct 22 (UNI) The Nagarjuna Virodhi Horata Samithi (NVHS), waging a war against the coal-based thermal power project in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district, today alleged that the Nagarjuna Thermal Power Project, promoted by Lanco at Yellur, was using ground water for its construction activities by sinking over 60 bore wells and digging open wells in violation of rules.

Addressing a press conference here, Samithi Executive Committee President Vijaykumar Hegde said that according to the conditions laid down, mega projects were prohibited from using ground water and should go in for alternative arrangements.

But, the company had fully violated this norm and used ground water for its construction activities, which would cause drying up of ground water in two months at an estimated area of ten to 15 km, he added.

He expressed apprehension of a possible landslide in the surrounding area to the extent of five to ten km radius of the proposed plant due to the impact of storage of huge quantity of coal required by the plant and movement of heavy machineries. No proper study had been made regarding the quality of the soil, he claimed.

Referring to the recent report of alleged assault on Hyderabad based scientists conducting a survey on the sea on tsunami near Ermal Bada near here, Mr Hegde alleged that the survey was not for any tsunami study, but actually for the construction of a port near Padubidre for the transportation of imported coal.

Any such tsunami survey normally would not be carried out on a boat as done in the recent case, but through satellite covering a wide area. The scientists have not even informed the nearest police station before conducting any such survey, he added.

Besides demanding a CBI inquiry into all the atrocities committed by the police and the Nagarjuna company on the villagers and the supporters of the Samithi, it would also approach the Supreme Court in this regard, he said.

Mr Hegde said the Samithi would take up door to door campaign against the plant by visiting all villages in the undivided district. It had also proposed to print 25 lakh hand bills and use LCD projectors to awaken the villagers, besides holding emergency meetings in the villages of Nandikur, Yellur, Palimar, Padubidre, Mudarangady, Hejamady and Ermal (all in Udupi District).

UNI

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