The ongoing protest by farmers against the 4,000 MW supercritical thermal power plant being developed by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) at Kudgi village in Vijayapura district is set to get stronger with the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and the Hasiru Sene resolving to intensify agitation.
The KRRS and Hasiru Sene, which were playing a small role in the movement against the plant till now, have decided to lead the agitation. A decision was taken after a meeting of farmer leaders, scientists, environmentalists, and legal experts. “The KRRS will file an impleading application in the Supreme Court with the petition filed by retired nuclear scientist M.P. Patil,” said KRRS president Chamarasa Malipatil.
“The KRRS got involved in the agitation after five farmers, who were protesting against the plant, were injured in a police firing in July and the Chief Minister ordered a judicial probe,” said K.T. Gangadhar, executive president of KRRS. He alleged that the government misguided farmers while acquiring land for the plant and had refused to take cognisance of the resolutions passed by zilla, taluk and gram panchayats.
