Pejawar Mutt Swamiji draws sword against UPCL

Udupi: Pejawar Mutt Swamiji in Padebettu near here today vowed to launch a strict non-violent protest, against Udupi Power Corpn. (UPC) thermal power plant, if the plant did not stop power generation, involving fly-wish and vitiated atmosphere to add to the sufferings of local people at large, by March 3, giving the notorious Nagarjuna Company breathing time of a week. He was speaking to the Press media after a visit to Padebettu, Santhur and Yermal areas near the coal-based thermal power plant which can produce 1200 MW of electricity.

Swami Vishwesha Thirtha made it clear that any conciliatory talks with the outrageous Power producer, can be held only after the plant was first shut down. He accused UPCL of violating all norms it was bound to observe, by creating air and water pollutions in a large measure all these days. The Udupi Mutt seer declared that no one could mislead him in his fight.

The Power Corporation had gone against its promises and exposed the local people to environmental hazards, arising out of its own blatant activities, he said.

He demanded that the state govt. should intervene in this dangerous situation immediately to protect coastal environment and people’s lives, lest certain diseases took hold of them. He wanted UPCL to close down now and minimize the harm already piled up by it.

On March $, affected people around Padebettu will storm the Plant and protest before UPCL power grid, he warned.

Swamiji made it clear that he would lead the protest fight and support local suffers in all possible ways to protect them. He revealed that the fly-ash pond of UPC contaminated local rivers and lives of common people.

Discharge of effluents (waste materials), having salt and chemicals, destroyed local fields and crops, the seer said.

Mahila Morcha Leader Sumitra Acharya pointed to the knee-deep dirty water in fields that harmed growth of crops. ‘Urad Dal’ cultivation is lost, as contaminated water flow had blistered early growths of tender black gram, she said. Vasanth Salian a Congress Executive Committee member from Kaup, announced a separate press meet to tell about fishermen, farmers and rural folks living around the UPC Plant and a Padayatra with protest rally on Feb 28, on the burning issue.