Mangalore : Indicating that a proposal to set up a 4,000 MW capacity ultra mega thermal power project at Niddodi in Mangalore taluk is alive, Minister for Energy D.K. Shivakumar said here on Sunday that the Union government “is keen on it”.

Noting that he was aware of the opposition to the project by the local people, the Minister said that the project could be set up on a “win-win” basis by giving some incentives to the local people.

“We can work out the details of incentives,” he said in reply to a question at a press conference.

Mr. Shivakumar made it clear that the government was ready to go ahead with the proposal if the people extended their cooperation. If there was no cooperation, the government will not take up the project, he said.

Mr. Shivakumar said that land for the proposed project at Niddodi had been identified. To a question whether the environment impact assessment of the project has been completed, he said: “I can’t say it now.”

He said that as Niddodi is close to New Mangalore Port enabling easy transportation of coal, the cost of production would come down, when compared coal transportation through rail or road.

Meanwhile, sources said that soon after the Minister made a statement on the project at the press conference, the Minister for State for Youth Empowerment and Sports K. Abhayachandra Jain, also MLA from Moodbidri constituency, met Mr. Shivakumar at the circuit house here and expressed his opposition to the project. Niddodi village is under Moodbidri Assembly constituency.

The sources said that Mr. Jain explained to Mr. Shivakumar the coming elections to the zilla and taluk panchayats and that if the State government showed interest in the project, it might affect the Congress. The Hindu