Supporter of damaging projects anti-social: Seer
Pejawar mutt seer Sri Vishweshatheertha Swamiji said that one who adopts lackadaisical attitude towards environment and supports the projects causing environmental damages can be deemed as anti-social elements.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Tuesday, the Seer said that unless and untill the expert committee report on the findings of ecological impact on coal based Udupi Power Corporation Limited thermal plant is out, the State government should not give its clearance for commissioning of the second phase of the UPCL unit.
Expressing his reservations over the intentional delay tactics by the government in the functioning of the experts committee appointed by the State government to go into the details of assessing the damages caused, the seer said that even the traveling expenses of the members of the committee was not met by the State government. However, one of the committee members, representing the public is abroad and expected to come back on November 19. The committee is expected to take up the inspection work soon and submit its report at the earliest to the government.
He said that if the finding of the committee related to environmental issues are against the company, then the Government should shut down UPCL. If the committee feels that the company can function, provided strict adherence to proper environmental guidelines, the government should not allow it till it fulfills all these laid down environmental guidelines. He said: “I am not against establishment of power production unit in the district. However, I strongly feel that any coal based power plant is hazardous in this region which is highly ecological sensitive,” he said.
Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda has promised that until the submission of the expert committee report, the government will not give its clearance for the commissioning of the second unit by UPCL, he added. The Seer said he would support all those who fight for civilian rights.
Seer’s right
Pejawar seer strongly defended that the pontiffs of mutt have every right to interfere in the activities of the society, besides their routine religious activities whenever there is harm to the people.
He was reacting to the statements made by Union Corporate Affairs Minister M Veerappa Moily recently in Mangalore.
He said that Moily while urging the state government to notify 2,035 acres of land in Dakshina Kannada district essentially required for II phase Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) which had been de-notified following the strong opposition, had stressed that Swamijis should not indulge in politics and restrict themselves to religious activities.
Similar to the interest shown by Moily being a politician on literature, seer said, “I can interfere in the issues concerned with people and the society”.
He urged the government not to notify the already de-notified land.
He said that Moily should be aware that as per the guidelines, no agriculture land should be acquired for industrial purpose.
