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The villagers in Padubidri have expressed apprehension over the survey work taken up by the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Limited (ISPRL) to take up the work on a pipeline from Thokoor in Mangalore to Padoor in Udupi.

The pipeline will pass through Padoor, Kalathoor, Belapu, Yellur, Santhur, Nandikur, Inna villages in Udupi district, 62nd Thokoor, Bala, Katipalla, Kuthethur, Soorinje, Madhra, Pakshikere, 10th Thokoor, Chellaru, Kilpady, Thalapady, Shimanthoor, Athikaribettu, Kavathur, Kinnigoli, Karnire, Belkunje villages in Mangalore.

Udupi district Gram Panchayat Federation President Deviprasad Shetty said the place where pipeline passes through is owned by small farmers.

Most of the land are fertile and farmers are fearing losing the land. Paddy, arecanut, coconut, pepper, jasmine and other horticulture crops are grown on this land. The farmers are in distress over losing their fertile land.

No wells can be dug near the pipeline. There are restrictions over planting those plants that grow tall and also on forming layouts on those land where pipeline passes through, Shetty said.

He said “it is a tragedy that the government has announced Rs 300 per a cent land as a compensation.”

“The authorities had told villagers that they will acquire the land and once the project is over, the land will be handed back to us. We can use it as per our wish but we cannot put up any permanent structure. Of late, we have learnt that we cannot plough the land and plant coconut and areca, which are the main crop of the region.

We will be forced to evolve a new method of cultivation in this kind of land, which is torn into two pieces. The farmers are also worried over the safety aspect because one can not imagine the extent of damage a mishap can cause,” he said.

Shetty said that there is a need to fight unitedly against the project.

The GAIL project has already made the villagers in Kinnigoli to spend sleepless nights. The work on pipeline will not be useful to the district. There is a need to create awareness among villagers on the same. All the Gram Panchayats have already filed objections to the laying of pipeline, he added.