Nalin Kumar to raise voice against Niddodi project in Parliament

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Suresh Vamanjoor)

July 22, 2013

Mangalore, Jul 22: Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has raised voice against Niddodi thermal power plant. Visiting Niddodi area on Monday, Mr Kateel promised the villagers of doing whatever little he can within his ability to save their properties which have been notified for the thermal power plant.

Villager, Alban Lobo briefing the MP said, “Since my ancestors lived here and we had grown here we are not ready to sell our land. Even when government officials came to the area to conduct survey we bitterly opposed and sent them back."

Mr Lobo said that since most of the land here are cultivable land, the villagers are grossly disappointed by the move of the government, which is against their interest.

The villagers said that they had sent memorandum to the elected representatives of the state only because they have immense faith on them.

"Even after sending memorandum and letters we have not received any response from them," said Mr Lobo adding that they have lost hopes from the elected representatives.

“On 16th May nearly nine government vehicle entered Niddodi village without any intimation but villagers did not allow them to survey the land. Later waiting for two hours government officials left the place. Village has 2500 acres of land but thermal power plant requires 8000 acres of land as it of 4000 mega vat capacity. Along with Niddodi village project covers Yedapaduv, Nirude, Puttige, Kateel, Mucchuru, Padu Perar, Mudu Perar, Thenka Yedapadavu and some neighbouring villages”, said villager Sudhakar Poojary.

Veena Damodhar explaining the problems, said that she has a joint family as of now and if at all they sell their land, they will have no option but to part ways from one another.

Promising the villagers Nalin Kumar Kateel said that he was not aware of the ground realities at Niddodi, while he got hint of the situation through media.

"As I remained absent to the Parliament sessions during the legislative assembly election, I will certainly raise this issue on August 6 in the Parliament. There will be no change in my stand. I will always stand by the villagers," the MP said.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

Comments