Ramanath Rai bats for underground or submarine line to transmit power from UPCL to Kasaragod

Senior Congress leader and former Minister B. Ramanath Rai on Monday, urged the government to explore the possibilities of alternative modes, including underground or submarine lines, to transmit power from Udupi Power Corporation Ltd., to Kasaragod in Kerala to avoid miseries to small and marginal farmers in coastal Karnataka.

Senior Congress leader and former Minister B. Ramanath Rai on Monday, urged the government to explore the possibilities of alternative modes, including underground or submarine lines, to transmit power from Udupi Power Corporation Ltd., to Kasaragod in Kerala to avoid miseries to small and marginal farmers in coastal Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters here at the behest of the farmers’ committee opposing the proposed 400 kV high tension line, Mr. Rai said the line will severely affect farming activities if taken overhead. Neither the government nor the executing agency has taken the farmers into confidence and are continuing the work of the HT line from UPCL keeping them in the dark.

Mr. Rai said the contractor, M/s Udupi Kasargode Transmission Ltd., of Sterilite Power, is conducting surveys for the construction of the HT line. Besides affecting the farming community, the overhead line would also affect the environment and wildlife, Mr. Rai who was the Minister for forest earlier, said.

He noted that many alternatives to the HT overhead line were available these days and the executing company should explore those options. The line either could be taken underground along the National Highway 66 or beneath the seabed along the coast. This will not be a difficult task for the company that is executing the ₹900 crore project, he noted.

Horata Samithi convener Shyamprasad said over 500 farmer families in 17 villages of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts have been fighting for alternative solutions for the transmission line, saying, “We don’t need compensation, we need alternative solutions.”

Submarine power transmission is a better option and the government as well as M/s Sterilite should explore this. The proposed HT line even passes through the 600 hectare Sirichandana Reserve forest in Veerakambha created by Mr. Rai when he was the Forest Minister, he regretted.

Another convener Lohitashwa said one cannot expect the dangers during the rainy season to which the farmers will be exposed when the HT line passes on their lands. District administrations should therefore demand alternative arrangements, he demanded.