Newskarnataka – Moodbidri

Moodbidri: Alphonse D’Souza, President of the Mathru Bhoomi Samrakshana Samithi of Niddodi has demanded that State Minister Abhayachandra Jain who had earlier declared that the Niddodi thermal project will have to be set up over his dead body, should now quit his ministership and join the anti-Niddodi agitation.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday May 5, he said the minister instead of  supporting the cause of  the people has been wiling away time giving only assurances. When the Samithi delegation had met Union Energy Minister Jyothiraditya Sindhia he had assured that any project unwanted by the people will not be set up. But the letter which CM Siddaramaiah had written to the Union Energy Minister and the stance of Abhayachandra has caused panic among Niddodi people, he said.

He further added that the project if at all set up would  hit hard the health of around 1.5 lakh people in Niddodi and other surrounding areas  and will also have an adverse impact on Kateel and other religious shrines.  The Government must immediately drop the project, he demanded.

D’Souza further said Abhayachandra Jain had never kept his promise to take a Samithi delegation  to Bangalore to meet the chief minister, despite its several requests.

 Chavadimane Jagannath Shetty, Honorary President  of the Samithi said the minister had never  contacted the people of Niddodi not even once in the past one and a half years. Neither does he attend the programmes in the region, he alleged.

Poovappa Gowda, Working President of the Samithi, Vinodhar, Secretary, Sudhaker, Vice President and  Kiran Manjanbailu, Convenor were present at the press meet.