'Give up agitation against Nagarjuna project'

Mangalore, Apr 28: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today appealed to the agitators, including pro-environmentalist group, to give up their agitation against the proposed 1015 MW Coal based thermal power project by Nagarjuna Power Company in Udupi District. Talking to newsmen here, he appealed to the public and agitators to cooperate with the government in setting up of the project, which was most essential in view of the accute power shortage faced in the State.

He said that generation of more electricity has become essential to meet the growing demand in the state. ''Some groups who were opposing the project had taken up this as a prestige issue, he added.

Referring to the diversion of Netravathy river, the Chief Minister said that he would call a meeting of irrigation experts, officials and the fishermen from Daxina Kannada district in Bangalore within a week to discuss the issue in detail.

Replying a question, Mr Kumaraswamy said that he would go through the reason for the slow work on the four lane project between Bantwal and Surathkal and strrengthening of Shiradi Ghat." If the delay was due to State government failure steps would be taken to speed up the works. If the work on Shiradi Ghat was further delayed by the central goverment, the state government would not hesitate to take up the work on its own.

UNI