Sorake threatens to protest against UPCL

UDUPI, May 20, 2015

Vinay Kumar Sorake, Urban Development Minister, said on Tuesday that he would launch an agitation against the thermal power plant of Udupi Power Corporation Ltd. (UPCL) at Yellur in Udupi district, if it failed to pay taxes to the Yellur Gram Panchayat and use its funds under Corporate Social Responsibility for the welfare of the surrounding villages.

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Sorake said that the salt water discharged by the thermal plant had damaged the fields of farmers in a couple of surrounding villages. UPCL should pay compensation to these farmers, he said.

UPCL, which is now under the Adani Group, wants to expand the capacity of the thermal plant.

For this purpose, it is planning to buy land in neighbouring villages up to Inna and Belman. “But we will fight against such mega expansion plans of the UPCL,” he said.

Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar had called him for a meeting with the officials of UPCL in Bengaluru on May 19. But Mr. Sorake had refused to attend it. He had briefed Mr. Shivakumar on the problems faced by people due to the thermal plant, e said.

On the K. Kasturirangan Panel’s Report on the Conservation of the Western Ghats, Mr. Sorake said that the State government had urged the Centre only to include reserve forests and wildlife areas for conservation and to avoid all human habitations. The State government had already sought the relaxation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms. The CRZ norms, in existence in Goa and Kerala, should be extended to the State. This would help in promoting tourism along the coastline, he said.

Mr. Sorake said that ever since the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government came to power, the funds sanctioned to his Urban Development Ministry had been drastically reduced. The previous United Progressive Alliance government had provided Rs. 6,400 crore for implementation of various schemes. But the NDA government had provided only Rs. 82 crore.

The NDA government had also changed the ratio of funding for construction of fisheries harbours. Earlier, the Centre used to provide 75 per cent of amount, while the State bore the rest. Now the State government has to bear 60 per cent of expenses on construction of a port, while the Centre pays the remainder, Mr. Sorake said.

‘The plant should pay compensation to farmers’

Udupi: UPCL takover by Adani - Sorake slams Modi

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB) Udupi, May 19: Urban development minister and district incharge Vinay Kumar Sorake on Tuesday May 19 lashed out at the union government, particularly at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said that Modi's 'right hand' industrialist Gautam Adani's group had come forward to purchase UPCL as part of a 'strategy' to acquire farmers' land. Addressing a press meet here, Sorake said, "Prime Minister Modi’s right hand Adani's group has come forward to purchase UPCL by investing Rs 6,500 crore. The central government is plotting a strategy to acquire land belonging to poor farmers. This is the achievement of one year of Modi-led government." "I have always been against the 1,200-MW UPCL power plant. The authorities should have sorted out all the problems faced by the famers before acquiring their agricultural land in Kaup," he added. "Rs 6,400 crore had been sanctioned by the central government for three projects, but Modi cancelled the sanctioned amount of Rs 3,000 crore and there are no other grants sanctioned by the centre except the MP fund. The centre has released only Rs 82 crore under Swachch Bharat Abhiyan scheme. Modi says his dream is 'Make in India', but he has not even prepared guidelines for achieving this," he said. Condemning MP Shobha Karandlaje's statement that Congress government in the state has been a 'big zero', Sorake said, "If she is concerned about development of her own city, she should have asked sought IIT for her own constituency instead of Raichur district. She has no confidence in her ability to make contributions to society." Sorake, describing the two successful years of the Congress administration, said that the first phase of the most-awaited Varahi irrigation project, totally worth Rs 596 crore, has been started. "Foundation was recently laid for the Rs 141.38-crore advanced research center at Belapu. The state has completed more than 100 promises made to the public," he added. He further added that before commenting, BJP members should look at their own track record when they were in power in the state. He further said, "The state government has sanctioned Rs 123 crore for the development of coastal fishing and other basic infrastructure. The diesel subsidy was increased from Rs 300 to Rs 400 and the banking loan closing term was increased from 12 to 24 months for women. A proposal has been sent to the central government for the construction of Hejamady port. Approximately, 244 sea walls have been constructed and work amounting to Rs 2,730.24 lac of work is in process. Total Rs 168 crore worth of the sea wall project (from Ullal) is under process as per the ADB scheme and the third phase of Malpe port is under way. Udupi district has achieved 99.23 percent of success in revival of 116 lakes at an expense of Rs 413.78 lac." Sorake said he felt happy about Udupi and Dakshina Kannada achieving good results in SSLC and PUC exams, and praised the toppers hailing from the twin districts. Speaking about Ksheera Bhaggya and other government schemes, he said that 2,03,734 students were provided milk three days in a week and 21,621 bicycles were distributed to the students. Construction of Mini Vidhana Soudha "A Mini Vidhana Soudha building is to be established and an amount of Rs 5 crore has been released. A 25 acre site has been identified at Uppoor for a new police training school and 10 acre of land has been reserved for the establishment of a University center," he informed. "Nearly 32,638 Anthyodaya cards and 1,2,373 BPL cards have been distributed till now. In this term 1,471 people received old age pension, 6,981 widow pension and 2,016 received disability pension. A total Rs 85 crore grant was sanctioned to the City Municipal Council, Udupi," said Sorake. Regarding the upcoming gram panchayat elections, he said, "The preparation for gram panchayat elections is going well and we have been conducting meeting in every block office to strengthen the party's unity."

Land to UPCL ruled out till problems are solved

Udupi, May 19, 2015, DHNS:

UPCL Company, presently owned by Adani group, is up to acquire thousands of agricultural land for the extension of the company. But, the government will not allow the company to do so, until the problems caused to the local people, farmers and fishermen, by the company are solved, Udupi district in-charge Minister and Minister for Urban Development Vinaykumar Sorake said.

Briefing reporters, in Udupi, on Tuesday, he criticised that the greatest achievement of the Centre was the purchasing of UPCL company by Adani, who is considered to be the right hand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for Rs 6,500 crore.

Responding to the remarks made by MP Shobha Karandlaje that the State government’s achievement is zero, Sorake alleged that the BJP MPs were lobbying to get the IIT sanctioned for Raichur. If Shobha is concerned about the State, let her make efforts to bring IIT to Udupi.

During the regime of UPA government, 75 per cent grants were provided for the development of ports. But, after the NDA government took over, the grant has been brought down to 60 per cent.

Also, the Central government has cut as many as Rs 3,000 crore grants to be sanctioned for the department of urban development.  Altogether, the State government has been bequeathed a shortage of Rs 16,000 crore, by the Central government, he said.

Vinaykumar Sorake said in a period of two years of administration by the Congress government in the State, Udupi district is witnessing an overall development. Rs 1,002 crore has been utilised towards the development works so far, he said.

Water is being supplied to farmers’ lands after 60 per cent of completion of Varahi irrigation project. Twelve crore has been released for Brahmavar sugar factory and the amount has been utilised towards the payment of arrears of labourers and liabilities with cooperative societies. Every legislative assembly has been provided with Rs 18 crore under Namma Grama Namma Rasthe scheme.

As many as 32,000 Antyodaya and 1.27 lakh BPL cards have been provided to beneficiaries. Rs 312 crore has been provided for drinking water and UGD works under ADB scheme.

Special attention has been given to the development of fisheries roads. The quantity of subsidy diesel has been raised to 400 litres from 300 litres. Also, the installments towards the repayment of loans by fisherwomen have been risen to 24 from 12.

He said the foundation has been laid for Science Research Centre in Belapu and the Chief Minister has assured of sanctioning a Post Graduate Research Centre.

MLA Pramod Madhwaraj said that a medical college is expected to be sanctioned for Udupi in the next budget. A College and a police training centre will also be built near Uppur. Congress General Secretary Narasimhamurthy was present among others.