TRADITIONAL START: Former Union Defence Minister George Fernandes inaugurating the local office of Jayasreekrishna Parisara Premi Samiti in Mangalore on Sunday.

MANGALORE: The former Union Defence Minister George Fernandes has indirectly criticised people and organisations that are opposing industrialisation of coastal districts, especially Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. Mr. Fernandes without referring to opposition to any particular industry in the region said such opposition would only accentuate the problem of unemployment and could in turn lead to other social problems.

Addressing presspersons at the inaugural function of local office of Jayashree Krishna Parisara Premi Samiti here on Sunday, Mr. Fernandes cited the example of closure of mining at Kudremukh and said this has rendered scores of people there unemployed.

There is every chance that these unemployed people may be naxalites who are active in the Malnad region and this could further worsen the problem, he said.

Stating that he had warned the Government in advance that stopping of mining activities at Kudremukh would lead to a major socio-economic problem, he said the Government apparently failed to convey these apprehensions to the judiciary. This has not only left scores of people employed by Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd. jobless, but also pushed them to the brink where they could resort to anti-social activities for survival.

Opining that the Governments seem to have forgotten the rights of original settlers in the Kudremukh National Park area, Mr. Fernandes said these tribal people are now turning towards the naxalites, who are lending them a sympathetic ear. Governments in all earnestness should take steps to address the various basic issues of these tribal people and prevent them from going over to the naxalites seeking redressal of their problems, he said.

B.M. Hegde, former Vice-Chancellor, MAHEand other office-bearers were present.

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