Udupi :  Villagers of Ellur staged a protest and prevented the KTPCL authorities from laying hi-tension power lines in the village to facilitate transmission of 400 KV of electricity from the UPCL power plant to Hassan. Though the officials and staff had arrived with police security, the stiff resistance of the villagers, prevented them from going ahead with the works.

The argument of the villagers was that they had been served no notice  regarding the laying of the hi-tension cables, nor were they awarded compensation. Even the permission of the local panchayat has not been secured, they alleged.

However, the officials said the permission of the panchayat was to be sought only if the lines passed through forest areas. But, the locals failed to budge and said they would not let the laying of the transmission lines in their village.

According to PB D Rao, Executive Engineer of KPTCL, the  work of laying the 180 km long line from Shanthigod in Hassan to UPCL  was almost complete by 90 per cent and what was remaining was the task of constructing  three lowers and laying of cables in Yellur and Nandikur.

Yellur Gram Panchayat President Sumana, member Jayant Kumar, Nagesh Bhat, ZP member Arun Shetty, VHP district vice-president Prakash Shetty and others took part in the protest.

The power line laying works however commenced in the evening after  the written orders of the DC in that direction was handed over to the villagers by the KPTCL officials.