Zilla Panchayat members from Raichur taluk have extended their support to the agitation of laying siege to Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) scheduled to be held on Friday.
The call for the agitation was given by labour unions working in RTPS, farmers’ organisations and Raichur rural MLA Tipparaj Hawaldar, who put forward various demands, including uninterrupted power supply to Raichur taluk.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Khasim Naik, ZP member from Yeragera constituency, said that all the members from Raichur taluk would actively participate in the agitation.
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“Farmers from Raichur taluk have provided their valuable land for establishing RTPS and the soon-to-be-launched Yermarus Thermal Power Station (YTPS). The people of the taluk are suffering from various ailments caused by the pollution of RTPS and YTPS. However, those who have given up land for the projects that are meeting the State’s energy needs, are themselves power-starved. Their demand for uninterrupted power supply for 24 hours a day to the taluk has remained unaddressed for the last several decades,” he said. BJP leader P. Srinivas Reddy said that the power projects established in Raichur taluk generate 3320 MW power, nearly a half of the energy being generated by Karnataka government from its thermal and hydel power stations.
“The power projects established in the taluk have succeeded in illuminating the entire State. They have only not benefitted those who lost their land for these projects. Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) has given an inappropriate compensation to these land-losers. Its assurance of giving a permanent job to each land-losing family in these projects has remained on paper. Repeated appeals, memorandums, protests and other forms of demonstrations have been in vain. Now, we are left with no option but to intensify our struggle,” he said.
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Overworked labourers
Mr. Reddy also alleged that the KPCL was forcing contract labourers working under its RTPS and YTPS project to work for more than stipulated eight hours a day without any extra payment.
“RTPS officials claim that it has engaged only 348 labourers on contract. But, in reality, there are more than 1,500 contract labourers. By forcing them to work for 12 or more hours a day without extra payment, it is violating the labour laws enacted by the government,” he said.
He asserted that Friday’s scheduled siege of RTPS would not be withdrawn until the government would come up with a concrete response with each of their main demands.
ZP member Shivajyothi P Srinivas Reddy, BJP leaders Narasimha Naik, Satish Kumar and others were present.