Agitation will be intensified against thermal power plant

Padubidre, Karnataka, June 23 (UNI) The Nagarjuna Virodhi Horata Samiti (NVHS), which is spear heading protest against the proposed 1015 Mw coal based thermal power project here has threatened to intensify its agitation even as the Karnataka government announcing several concessions to the project yesterday.

The coal based thermal power project by Nagarjuna Power Corporation Limited (NPCL) was widely opposed by the NVHS stating that it would threaten environment and destroy forest.

Briefing newsmen here, NVHS Executive Committee President Vijay Kumar Hegde today said that the Committee has decided to launch + no more Nagarjuna+ agitation with active support from the leaders, public and politicians irrespective of political affiliation from three coastal districts besides support from other parts of the State.

He said that as a first step in this regard, the committee had decided to submit a memorandum to the district in-charge minister Dr V S Acharya urging him to impress upon the government not to force the project against the deep and strong opposition of the people of the district and initiate action against officials responsible for forcible acquisition of private lands, threatening and illegal felling of trees. He warned that if the Minister failed to respond, the Samiti would launch indefinite Dharna in front of the residence of the Minister in Udupi from June last week.

He said that the Samiti had also taken decision to prevent vehicles engaged in the project work from entering the project site.

It would also take up collecting objection letters from lakhs of people protesting against the project to submit to the government.

The Samiti had already engaged in the process of filing cases in the court against the concerned Tahashildar, police officials, Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) official Ms.

Vijayakumari Shenoy to take legal action against them besides seeking probe and legal action against the NPCL officials for their alleged goondaism on the locals, causing insult to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people and encroachment of private wells.

Mr Vinaykumar Sorke, former MP and member of the Committee, said that the Samiti has also planned to launch + Vidhana Soudha chalo+ to prevent the project and act on the report submitted by the delegation which had visited the thermal plant in Andhra Pradesh.

Mr Hegde said that he would also participate in the meeting convened in Mysore on Tuesday next which would be attended by the leaders opposing the thermal power project in other districts such as Mysore, Tadadi, Hassan and Raichur.

UNI