The 35-km stretch Gundia-Sakleshpur will be converted into a four-lane highway.
DNA Correspondent
lMangalore
Preparations are in full swing to improve the Shirady Ghat Road. Ashok Kheny of Nandi Infrastructure has proposed a public-private-participation (PPP) model to convert the 35-km stretch between Gundia and Sakleshpur into a four-lane highway.
At the 17th National Youth Festival on Friday, the state ecology and environment minister, Krishna Palemar, said: “Kheny is positive that the Gundia-Sakleshpur stretch could be converted into a four-lane highway in a short duration. The road will be world-class. There’ll be little damage to the green cover. In many places, the road will run underground to preserve the natural landscape of Shirady Ghats.”
The state government has already allocated `6 crore for the repair of the road, and the work is under progress. Meanwhile, the central government, too, had proposed a project for `158 crore to construct a concretised two-lane highway in the Shirady stretch. “Either way, it’s a win-win situation,” added Palemar.
On the lake policy in the state, Palemar pointed out that it is now ready to be tabled in the cabinet and the assembly. “If possible, it will be tabled in the next session on January 30,” he added.
The policy, in its new manifestation, will be even more stringent and will have provisions for arresting the polluters immediately.” If found guilty, they will get a jail term of five years or fine of
`1 lakh,” he said.
Most of the picturesque lakes in Mysore, Bangalore, Mangalore, Hubli, Dharwad, Belgaum, and Uttara Kannada districts are polluted by residents. Once the new policy comes into force, the government will start cracking the whip on the violators, Palemar said.
He also stated that the Hubli-Ankola rail and road projects will not get environmental clearance. “The department of environment and ecology will not allow the laying of four-lane highway or the railway line between Hubli and Ankola as both projects were found to be highly destructive for the environment,” he said.
However, to facilitate free traffic, the department will give ‘conditional permission’ for widening the Hubli-Ankola state highway, Palemar said. Environmentalists have advised the government against both projects. There were similar problems in extending the Talaguppa-Honnavar railway line. But this will be re-examined, Palemar said.
On the Udupi Power Corporation Limited (UPCL), he said that the plant will have to be environmentally sustainable. Otherwise it won’t be economically viable. He said: “The UPCL is now producing 50% of its installed capacity at 600 MW. But, if it has to produce 1200 MW, it has to expand its production capacity in the second phase. The government has asked the UPCL to make its plant environmentally sustainable before applying for the development of the second phase.”
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