People expressed divergent views at a public hearing on the expansion of the coal-based thermal power project of Udupi Power Corporation Ltd. (UPCL) from 1,200 MW to 2,800 MW, here on Thursday.
Vinay Kumar Sorake, Kaup MLA, in whose constituency the plant is located, said that UPCL should first fulfil its previous promises before the plant was expanded. It should provide free electricity to entire Kaup Assembly constituency. It should take social forestry work to undo the impact in the constituency. As a large number of people had complained of health problems, the company should establish a hospital, which would provide free treatment to all people.
The arecanut, coconut and banana crops of a large number of farmers had got destroyed due to the fly ash and they should be given compensation. The fishermen affected by the discharge of used water from the plant should also be given compensation. Instead of giving low-end jobs to local youth, the company should give executive level jobs to the educated youth of the region, he said.
Sheela K. Shetty, vice-president of the Udupi Zilla Panchayat, said UPCL should provide more facilities in the surrounding areas such as building houses for the people, construction of a hospital, an old age home and a home for women in distress.
The company should spend its money under the corporate social responsibility for providing better facilities in all 29 gram panchayats in Kaup Assembly constituency. As much as 75 per cent of jobs in UPCL should be reserved for youth of the constituency, she said.
Deviprasad Shetty, president, Belapu Gram Panchayat, said that he was not opposed to the expansion of the plant but the company should provide more facilities and utilize its CSR funds for the development of the surrounding villages.
Lalaji Mendon, former Kaup MLA, said that the Adani Group, which owned UPCL, should help in the construction of the fisheries harbour in Hejmady village as it would benefit the fishermen.
Shekhar Hejmady, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti leader, said that after UPCL was established, many youth from the weaker sections had got jobs. UPCL should reserve jobs for youth belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and minority communities.
Reshma Uday Shetty, Shashikanth Padubidri and Gitanjali Suvarna, zilla panchayat members, and Andar Deviprasd Shetty, businessman, all demanded better facilities to the people from UPCL. T. Venkatesh, Deputy Commissioner, chaired the public hearing.
