Pejavar swamiji to spend Rs Five lakhs in Naxal areas

Udupi, May 5(UNI) Vishvesha Thirtha Swamiji of Udupi Pejavar mutt today said that he is contemplating to spend about Rs five lakh for providing some basic ammenities in the naxal inflicted areas in Chikmagalore district.

Addressing a press conference here, he said that to start with he had planned to provide free electricity facility by providing meters and free wiring to over 77 houses at the cost of over Rs 5000 each in the remote Menasinahadya village in the district which had been deprived of all basic amenities. It was also proposed to provide free water and agricultural land to these families.

The Swamiji said that his mutt had already taken up several social programmes in the Malnad areas of Chikmagalore which included over Rs 65.000 donations to poor tribal students and Rs 17,000 financial aid for education purpose to the son of Sheshappa Gowda who was killed by Naxalites in Menasinahadya.

He said that Menasinahadya rural hamlet, surrounded by hills on three sides where over 500 adult people were residing along with their children in over 80 houses.

He said that he had also planned to provide pipes for tap water facility to tribal families in Shaknkarakudige-Neerkallu village in Moodagere Taluk in the district and also spend over Rs 13,000 for providing pipes for drinking water to the tribal families in Doobali Hosakoppa in Koppa Taluk, he added.

Replying a query, the Swamiji said that he had not received any threats from naxalites so for. "If they (naxalites) approach me, I am ready to give them proper advice and guidance so that they leave the path of naxalism and join the main stream of the society." To another question, the Swamiji opined that there should be total ban on the sale of all kind of liquor, not only arrack. The total ban would help the poor families to come out from the habit of alcoholism and lead better life.

UNI MA MSP RKN1849