Kodagu residents oppose the project

Madikeri :

A three members Technical Experts’ Committee visited Kodagu district on Thursday to study the possibilities of finding an alternate route to lay 400 KV hi-tension line from Kozhikode in Kerala to Mysore. This has come up in the backdrop of stern opposition from the people against the electricity line passing through Kodagu district.

The committee members visited the places in and around Maldare where the project is implemented and collected public opinion. Representatives from various organisations, including Viju Biddappa from Maldare, Kaveri Sene President Raghu Machaiah, Convener Ravi Chengappa, K.C. Subbaiah, Basavana Devana Bana Trust President B.C. Nanjappa, Chennayyana Kote Gram Panchayat member Shyam, Coorg Wildlife Society President Colonel C.P. Muthanna and others, shared their opinions.

They all said that thousands of trees will be felled if the line passes through Kodagu. This will have negative impact on the environment, wildlife and coffee growers. Therefore, an alternate route has to be found out for laying the wires, they insisted.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Committee Head R.S. Shivakumar Aradhya said that a lot of factors like environment and technical feasibility and project expenditure has to be taken into consideration while finding an alternate route. “We will submit the report to the government within a month. We will visit Kutta and surrounding region on Friday and examine the problem,” he said.

The government formed the Committee chaired by Shivakumar Aradhya, in response to the continuous opposition and protest by villagers and various organisations opposing the project. Forest Department senior officials Ajay Mishra and elephant expert Sukumaran are the other two members of the Committee.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / June 14th, 2014