Kumaradhara Parisara Samrakshana Samiti, Puttur, staged an environment awareness rally in Puttur on Thursday, demanding the government to withdraw the proposed 24 MW mini hydel power project across Kumaradhara river at Urumbi in Puttur taluk.
Raising objection to the proposed project, the programme on Wednesday passed a resolution to be forwarded to the chief minister, demanding the government to withdraw all the proposed mini hydel power projects across Kumaradhara river. The proposed mini hydro power project in Urumbi by Kukke Hydro Power Project Pruvate Ltd would prove disastrous to the river, environment and the families residing in the region. The area surrounding the project spot is reserved forest and is a part of the Western Ghats, they noted.
“The region is termed as eco-sensitive for the existence of rich bio-diversity. The private company which has taken up the project has produced false documents to the government, misguided the farmers and has planned to implement the project in an unscientific way,” the committee has alleged.
The committee has estimated that over 1500 families residing in the region will come to streets and a lot of backward and Dalit families will lose their land. According to the experts, approximately 880 hectares of forest land, 130 hectares of rubber plantation, 600 hectares of areca plantation, 200 hectares of other agricultural land will submerge if the project is implemented.
“The government has sanctioned similar eight mini hydel projects across Kumaradhara river, which would affect the drinking water and agriculture in the region. The proposed mini hydel power project in Urumbi comes under the jurisdiction of five gram panchayats, and of them, four gram panchayats have passed resolutions opposing the project and have requested the government to withdraw the project,” the committee has said in a press release.