NewsKarnataka-Mangalore

Mangalore: A meeting convened at the DC office in Mangalore on January 25, Saturday to discuss the problems faced by people likely to be affected by the HPCL Gas pipeline project and also to fix the price of the land to be acquired, witnessed some confusion when the villagers staged a walk out over the delay of the Deputy Commissioner to arrive at the meeting.

Earlier, the villagers even tore off the register kept for the participants to sign questioning why their signatures were being obtained even after they opposed acquisition of land for the project

The DC who arrived at the venue at 11.30 pm, later conducted the meeting from 12.30 till 2 pm wherein he heard the grievances of the villagers. He directed the HPCL officials to furnish all information regarding the project to the villagers within one week.

The HPCL officials who were present at the meeting, tried to allay the fears of the villagers and said the gas pipeline project was completely safe and added that the HPCL had 3000 kms long pipelines already laid, out of the 20,000 km long gas pipeline existing in the nation.

The DC also informed that two other meetings would be convened to discuss the issue. The first meeting will be on January 29 at the Belthangady Taluk office while the second meet will be held on January 30 at the DC office in Mangalore.
Krishnamurthi, Special Land Acquisition Officer, GK Yuvaraj, HPCL Project Manager and other officials attended the meeting.