'Plea to Centre to ban Endo soon'

Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje said that the Centre will be urged to ban endosulfan immediately, as people are suffering in various parts of Karnataka.

Speaking to presspersons after having darshan of the God, at Mahalingeshwara temple in Puttur on Wednesday, she said Endosulfan has affected the people in Raichur as well. A survey on the ill-affects of Endosulfan should be carried out in Dakshina Kannada and and the health check up camp should be organised for the the victims.

The Endosulfan victims should be given compensation. “We will urge the Centre to respond to our demands immediately,” she said.

She said even the Supreme Court should uphold the opinion of the people when it comes to banning Endosulfan.

“In the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s verdict that no projects which will harm environment should be allowed in Western Ghats, we have dropped the proposal of setting up of 10 mini hydro power projects in Western Ghats. Licenses will be given to those units which will not harm the enviornment in the region.”

“There is no major shortage of power in the State. The demand is 7,500 mega watt electricity per day. The State has been generating 6,500 mega watt electricity. In the last one-month about 1,200 mega watt wind eneregy has been produced in the State, she explained.

No new electricity wires could be installed in the district with the opposition from the forest department. In spite of funds available for drawing new lines, the department could not take up the work owing to the problems related to forest.

Few works were delayed due to officials and contractors. Strict action will be initiated against those contractors and officials who delay the work,” she warned.