Udupi, 20 December 2011: The villagers of the local 3 Grama Panchayaths have sent strong message to the Central Government through the Deputy Commissioner, that they will not give even an inch land for the 2nd phase of Crude Oil storage facility central govt. project near Padoor. Already 200 acre land has been acquired for the 1st phase of the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) crude oil storage facility project and now since there is survey taking place for the additional 700 acre land acquirement, which has scared the local people, who have come out to the streets to fight agaist it.
The local about 5 to 6 thousand people of Padoor, Kalattoor and Kolachchoor Grama Panchayath who will be directly affected with the 2nd phase project, led by Janajagrati Samiti and other tens of associations conducted huge rally procession in Udupi city and conducted protest in front of Deputy Commissioner’s Office on Monday and through the appeal to the central government they submitted their opposition to this project.
The leaders and MLA’s from Congress, BJP and JDS who participated in this protest rally opposed this 2nd phase of crude oil storage facility project and extended their unconditional support to the fight of the people and assured that they will ensure that there will not be any political involvement in this. Former Minister Vasantha V. Saliyan from Congress party agreed to convince the central government to give up this project and local MLA Lalaji Mendon agreed to convince the state government who is acquiring the land about the opposition of the people.
Bellary Entrepreneur Suresh Gurmi led the protest. BJP Jilla President Udaykumar Shetty, JDS Jilla President Devikumar Shetty, Mogaveera leader Yashpal Suvarna, Jilla Panchayath President Katpadi Shankara Poojary, Raitha Sangha President Vijaykumar Hegde, Padoor Jamia Masjid’s Umer Sab, Local leader Lawrence Fernandes and Payyaru Vishwanantha Shetty of Janajagrati Samiti were present on the dias.