KC Valley project: Protest against NHAI

Agitators start pipeline work adjacent to NH 77

Hundreds of workers of various political parties, elected representatives, office-bearers and members of Permanent Irrigation Struggle Committee staged a protest against National Highways Authority of India(NHAI) for not according permission to lay a pipeline for KC Valley project, near Kodiramasandra Gate on Thursday.

They also started the pipeline laying work after the protest. The authority had rejected permission to lay an eight km-long pipeline adjacent to National Highway 75 from Narasapur in the district to Hoskote in Bengaluru Rural district.

District In-charge Minister K R Ramesh Kumar, who was peeved with the move, wanted to visit the project site with elected representatives, people and members of various organisations to stage a protest and start the work. But he stayed away from the protest in the last minute following Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s advice and told the others to continue with the protest.  Accordingly, Congress workers, local elected representatives and others, led by MLAs S N Narayanaswamy (Bangarpet) and G Manjunath (Mulbagal), staged the protest and started the pipeline laying work.

The police had tightened security at the spot following a request from the authority officials in view of the protest. The protesters dug a canal for the pipeline work using JCB machines. The JD(S) workers, who were heading towards Bengaluru for a convention of the party’s women workers, also joined the protesters.

Krishnappa, executive engineer of the project, said 128 km long pipeline should be laid for the project. So far, pipeline has been laid along 28 kms. Twenty km pipeline work has to be done along the national highway. The NHAI and Lanco company are creating troubles, he charged. The protesters vented ire against the authority and Lanco company.