Koppal came to a standstill on Monday as a bandh called by Koppala Parisara Hitharakshana Vedike against the proposed steel plant by Baldota group in Koppal Taluk.
Koppal: Koppal came to a standstill on Monday as a bandh called by Koppala Parisara Hitharakshana Vedike against the proposed steel plant by Baldota group in Koppal Taluk.
Commercial activities came to a grinding halt as shops, hotels, and even petrol pumps voluntarily shut down for the day. Public transportation was also severely affected, with bus services suspended after 9 am. The bandh had been widely publicized over the past few days, with organization leaders actively campaigning for public participation.
While primary and high schools declared a holiday, colleges remained open, leaving students to find alternative modes to travel due to the lack of transport services.
Addressing the protestors, Abhinava Gavisiddheshwar Swamiji emphasized the need to safeguard public health. “When devotees are in distress, I have no choice but to step forward. My conscience has brought me to this protest,” he declared.
Koppal MLA K Raghavendra Hitnal stated that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had been apprised of the issue and had assured that if the factory expansion posed a threat to Koppal’s residents, it would not be permitted.
JD(S) leader CV Chandrashekar claimed that over 30 large industries in the region had already led to environmental degradation and that efforts were being made to escalate the matter to the Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Kushtagi MLA Doddangouda Patil announced that a resolution against the factory expansion would be submitted during the upcoming legislative session.
Leaders and activists reiterated their commitment to continuing the fight, vowing to put further pressure on the government in both the Assembly and Parliament. Protesters asserted that their demand was not just for the present but for future generations, insisting that industrialization should not come at the cost of public health.
