Udupi: State Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje visited the UPCL thermal plant on August 24, Friday and inspected the various operations as well as the safety measures initiated by the company to check environment pollution.

She also addressed the UPCL officials on the occasion and directed the company to provide compensation to all those who have been adversely affected by the plant. She further directed the company to ensure maximum safety measures.

The UPCL CEO Ravindran, explained the various measures initiated by the company to check environment pollution. He said the water from the sea is desalinated using drift eliminators. He said only small amounts of fly ash is released into the air while electrostatic precipitators are used to remove 80 per cent of fly ash,

However, Nagesh Bhat, a member of Ellur Gram Panchayat accused the company of not initiating any measure to check pollution. He said water sources within a radius of 8 kms has been highly contaminated with UPCL effluents.

Speaking on the occasion, Karandlaje said that the company has not yet compensated as many as 360 families of fishermen who can longer venture into fishing due to the adverse effects of UPCL.

Deputy Commissioner MT Reju said as many as 900 applications have been received from displaced people for compensation. District Minister Kota Srinivas Poojari who was also present said the applications should be scrutinized and the eligible provided compensation at the earliest.