Nagarjuna menace forcing locals to migrate!

06 October 2009

Reports of late indicate that several residents in the vicinity of the controversial Nagarjuna (Now Udupi Power Corporation) site, who are virtually fed up with the harassment of the company’s contractors as also the apathy of the authorities towards their complaints in this regard, are now planning to migrate from the area.

Though there was a time a few years ago, when the company had hesitated to set foot in the district owing to massive opposition to the company’s plans to let hazardous effluents into the sea, it was the backing by a few locals themselves that strengthened the company’s determination to set up its base here. It was through these men that the company lured locals of big cash and then acquired their lands.

Now the same land is being used to lay pipelines to let hazardous effluents to the sea. The contractors for this project, who are totally unresponsive to the problems of the locals, are undertaking the works round the clock forcing locals to spend sleepless nights. Already, the project works has led to development of cracks on the walls of several houses. On the other hand, the locals are facing another problem as rain water now gushes straight into the houses, following the closure of a storm water drain by the company authorities, just to facilitate their works.

It is also complained that the contractors concerned were behaving in a dictatorial fashion and got the works undertaken by closing the road used by hundreds daily, by using huge vehicles of the company as a road block. There is no one to respond queries in this regard and the locals deeply frustrated as well as fed up with the developments are seriously contemplating quitting a land in which they have been residing since decades.

source thecanaratimes.com