BJP leaders meet guv over KGF issue

The State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday urged Governor H R Bhardwaj to prevail upon the Centre to drop its proposal to dump radioactive waste from Kudankulam nuclear power plant at the disused Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) mines.

BJP State president K S Eshwarappa, party National General Secretary H N Ananth Kumar and a host of party legislators met Bhardwaj at Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum in this regard.

Speaking to reporters, Kumar said the Centre in its affidavit before the Supreme Court had stated that it was planning to use the abandoned gold mines as a dumping ground for the nuclear waste.

Kumar said it was unfortunate that though there were four ministers from the State in the Union Cabinet, they had not prevailed upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to drop the  move. MPs from the BJP will raise the issue in Parliament on November 26, he said.

Asked about the stance of the BJP government in the State, Kumar said Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has urged the Centre to make a statement and dispel apprehensions among people about the proposed dumping of nuclear waste in KGF.

The memorandum submitted to the Governor states that the Centre’s decision was contrary to the principles of the federal system of the nation.

“The Karnataka government was kept in the dark on such an important decision which will have cascading impact on the health of the people and the environment in and around Kolar district. The BJP will not allow the move of the Union government to be implemented under any circumstances,” the memorandum states.

The BJP has stated that it will not hesitate to start a people’s movement against the decision of the Centre.