Karnataka - Mysore   

People welcome burial of proposed Chamalapura plant

MYSORE: The Government’s decision to drop the proposed Chamalapura thermal power plant in Mysore district following wide-spread public opposition, has been welcomed by the people of the region.

“The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting on Thursday and it is a welcome development,” said S.A. Ramdas, MLA. It has spared the people of Mysore and its surrounding regions, and has also saved the rich biodiversity from a grave threat, said Mr. Ramdas. The proposed move to establish a 1000 MW coal-fired thermal power plant sparked of public unrest in view of the ecological impact on Mysore and surrounding regions. Though Chamalapura is only about 25 km from Mysore and is close to Bandipur and Nagarahole national parksthe Government had tried to push the project. It entailed displacement of 20,000 families and conversion of 3,000 acres of prime agricultural land, and this hard sparked off wide-spread agitation in 2007.

Welcoming the Government’s decision, Vivek Cariappa, an organic farmer from H.D. Kote and a member of the Organic Farming Commission, said the Government should clearly spell out the reason and officially publish why the Chamalapura power plant was being dropped. Mr. Cariappa said this was important as the project had been shelved 15 years ago but only to be revived in 2007 again. Hence, if the Government comes out with an official statement and document on why the project was dropped, it would give a permanent burial to the project, he said.

The Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens of Mysore (ACICM), which initiated the movement against the power plant, said there were nearly 25 cases pending against those who led the agitation. M. Lakshman, convener of the ACICM said the Government should also drop the cases that have been booked against non-governmental organisations and farmers who agitated against the power plant.

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