Environment and Ecology Minister J Krishna Palemar has said the government will not give its nod for the proposed Unit II of the Udupi Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) at Nandikur in Udupi unless environmental issues related to the thermal power plant are completely addressed by the plant authorities.

“I have held a discussion with chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda personally. Since the chief minister is also from our district, he knows the issue very well and has taken it very seriously. The clearance given by officials of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) for the Unit II has already been cancelled,” he was quoted as saying by the Times Of India.

The Unit I of UPCL with 600 MW capacity, which was shut down for maintenance, is still not operational.

In the meantime, the government had appointed an expert committee led by Karnataka State Bio fuel Development Board executive chairman Y B Ramakrishna and assessor at the Centre for Ecological Studies of Indian Institute of Science (IISC), Bangalore, T V Ramachandra to look into the problems faced by residents in Nandikur and surrounding villages.

The committee will hold a public consultation with regard to the issue on November 19

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