Karnataka - Mangalore   

Dharam Singh's stand delights environmentalists

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE, JUNE 27. The environmentalists of Dakshina Kannada have welcomed the recent visit of the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, here and his assurance to examine the proposals for setting up industries in the district before clearing them.

The Chief Minister was quoted in a section of the Press as saying that his Government would keep in mind the eco-sensitive nature of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts before clearing any industries that could cause pollution in the two districts.

Welcoming his statement, the Nagarika Seva Trust in a press release issued by its President, K. Somanatha Nayak, said here on Sunday that Mr. Singh was the first Chief Minister who understood the importance of ecology. He hoped that Mr. Dharam Singh would keep his promise.

Mr. Singh had rightly pointed out that his Government would conform to the industrial carrying capacity of the district.

Mr. Nayak said that it was rare for a politician to speak of environmental protection and balancing of ecology and industry.

The Karavali Mahila Jagruti Vedike President, P. Hemavati, in a press release, hoped that the Chief Minister would deal appropriately with the pressures that might build around him for clearing industries in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The Dakshina Kannada Parisarasktha Okkuta President, M. Bhojappa Gowda, has stated that the environment of the coastal district had given livelihood to fishermen, farmers, floriculturists, rural artisans, and tribal people. He appealed to the Government to consider setting up non-polluting industries such as electronics, and Information Technology in coastal districts.

The Parisaraskta Krishikara Vedike-Karnataka President, P.R. Yashochandra, has said that farmers and fishermen were in distress because of rising cost of living and the plummeting price of their produce. The need of the hour was to spur agro-based and fisheries-based industry. The campaign against the polluting industries started in 1991. The environmentalists had thwarted proposals to set up super thermal power project, dyes, and chemicals, large-scale steel plant and pigments and paints industries were cleared in the district. The J.H. Patel Government had ordered a study on the carrying capacity of the coastal areas under the guidance of scientist Madhav Gadgil. But the study never took place.

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