Padubidri: The fishermen from Padubidri abruptly stopped the Adani foundation sponsored blood donation camp organised by the controversial Udupi Power corporation Limited(UPCL) on Thursday.
The camp which was organised at Government high school was stopped  by locals and fishermen who used the occasion to protest against the controversial UPCL which they alleged was polluting their fishing eco system.

The Kamini river which passes through Yermalu, Kadipatna and Nadipatna villages gets polluted due to waste dumped by UPCL. As the fishermen were asked not to venture into the sea, local fishermen recently had carried out fishing activities in the Kamini river and sold it through auction. But  those who purchased fish from them started complaining about the fish and the foul smell and returned the fish and it created rift among the fishermen. The fishermen blamed UPCL for waste dumped in the river and the foul smell.

Fishermen leaders Ashok Salyan, Laxman Salyan, Krishna Kanchan, Ashok Salyan, Harish Kunder, Yogish Salian, Panduranga Kotian, Devdas Karkera, Narayana M Karkera, Umesh Karkera, Hemanath Puthran, Chethan Kotian were among the protesters.

When the camp began in the morning, these fishermen came to the venue and argued with the UPCL officers. Dr N T Anchan, Dr B B Rao and Mithun R Hegde who had come to inaugurate the camp returned back. Girish Nanada spokesperson for the UPCL company tried to convince the protesters but in vain. Even though Padubidri police arrived at the spot, the camp was brought to an abrupt halt.

However blood camps organised at UPCL for laborers and in Inna school and Paniyur school were conducted without any objecton.

The action by fishermen was criticized by many as there is shortage of blood in the District hospital. Is there a solution for problems faced by locals and fishermen by simply cancelling a blood camp, are the issues resolved?, was the question asked by those who gathered.