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MANGALORE: The Dakshina Kannada district unit of Janata Dal (Secular) has voiced their opposition to the proposed 4,000-MW ultra mega power project at Niddodi, around 35 km from here.

Around 90% of the land in the region is agriculture land owned by small and large land owners, and those who depend on agriculture for their livelihood, S P Chengappa, the district party spokesperson, told reporters on Saturday.

"Any move to set up an UMPP in such sylvan surroundings is retrograde and an anti-people step. Scores of farmers in the region will be displaced if the Centre goes ahead with the project. It will also ruin water bodies - static and flowing - in the area. The fly ash that thermal power projects generate will add to air pollution. Use of saline sea water for the cooling towers too is likely to have an adverse impact on the local soil condition," he said.

Expressing fears that the project could have a long-term health impact on the lines of sufferings of people affected by spraying of endosulfan in parts of the district, Chengappa said the state and the Central governments should shelve the project. The district unit of the party will resort to agitation to get across its point if the authorities concerned fail to listen.

Taking umbrage to another move of the state government that purportedly involves diverting excess water flowing to the Arabian Sea through Nethravathi diversion project, Chengapppa said this will have further impact on the eco-system of the already fragile Western Ghats. Already, the presence of Gundya hydel power project and several other mini-hydel projects along the Western Ghats is having its impact on the flora and fauna of the region, he said.

The state government’s move to set aside Rs 1,000 crore for the project without proper deliberations in the assembly is reflective of its concern for the forest and wildlife assets of the state. The project will only accentuate the problem of water scarcity that the district faces during summer, he said, adding it is unfortunate that both the state and Central governments are repeatedly taking anti-environment stand.

On the proposed move by the Karnataka Milk Federation to raise the price of Nandini milk by Rs 2, Chengappa said this repeated move by the state government is having an adverse impact on the lives of the economically weaker section and the salaried class. Terming the decision unscientific, Chengappa said the state government must instead focus on ensuring that KMF is managed more professionally, thereby reducing its losses.