MANGALORE: The Mulki-based Karavali Karnataka Vikasa Vedike will organise a jatha at Udupi at the end of this month in support of the 1,015-MW Nagarjuna Power Project at Yelluru in Udupi. The organisers expect nearly 5,000 people from various parts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts to participate in the jatha, which is aimed at creating awareness about the need for such a project.

Harish N. Puthran, president of the vedike, addressing presspersons here on Tuesday said that Udupi was a backward coastal district in terms of industrialisation. Small industries and the agriculture sector in Udupi were facing a crisis owing to the lack of regular power supply. Lack of job opportunities was also forcing the youth to migrate to other cities, he added.

He said cheap power had been the main reason for progress in developed countries. There was a need for concerted efforts on the part of progressive-minded citizens to support environment-friendly industries, which generate employment, he added.

It is imperative to resolve issues brought to the fore by the decision to set up the project at Yelluru. When his attention was drawn to the fact that several people and organisations are opposed to thermal power projects coming up in the ecologically sensitive district, Mr. Puthran said one had to consider the costs involved in using alternate sources of fuel. Madhava Suvarna, vice-president of the vedike, said the organisation had no issues with environmental groups, who were opposed to the project . "We are interested in the overall development of the district . It is duty of the Government to ensure that industries meet environmental norms," he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail