Former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, KS Eshwarappa, who leads the Rashtrabhaktara Balaga, voiced strong opposition on Tuesday against a proposal by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to establish a nuclear power plant in Besur village, located in Sagar taluk of Shivamogga district. According to the Balaga, NTPC had identified Besur in Avinahalli hobli and subsequently requested a feasibility report from the revenue department. This followed a meeting held on February 2 with deputy commissioners from Koppal, Raichur, Vijayapura, and Shivamogga districts.
District Administration's Role Questioned
While other district administrations reportedly rejected the proposal, citing unsuitability for their regions, the Shivamogga district administration allegedly indicated that 3,190 acres of land were available in Besur—significantly more than the required 2,000 acres. This revelation has sparked outrage among environmentalists and local leaders, including Shrikant of the Balaga. They questioned why the district administration would offer land in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats, especially given existing local opposition to projects like the Sharavathi pumped storage project.
Environmental and Performance Concerns
Critics also highlighted that global energy trends are shifting toward solar energy. They argued that the Kaiga nuclear plant has underperformed, generating only 800 MW against its installed capacity of 1,600 MW. The controversy has placed Sagar MLA Gopal Krishna Belur in a difficult position, as he was reportedly not consulted about the project, further fueling public anger.
Activist Response and Official Denial
Activist TN Srinivas has announced protest meetings in Sagar to organize a formal movement against the plant. In response to the growing unrest, Shivamogga in-charge Deputy Commissioner Hemanth N issued a clarification on Monday, categorically denying that any proposal for a nuclear power plant in Besur has been submitted to the government. However, Eshwarappa remained skeptical, questioning why surveillance flights have been spotted over the Sagar region. He demanded a transparent, minute-to-minute account of the administrative meetings to ensure the NTPC project is officially blocked to protect the local environment. The protest is scheduled for Thursday in Sagar.
