Kodagu Villagers’ Protest Prompts Action; Asphalt Plant to Shut by May 31
- Lirish Chinnappa
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Ponnampet: Operations of the asphalt mixing unit at Kunda village will be stopped by May 31, following sustained protests by local residents and intervention by elected representatives and district officials in Kodagu.
The decision comes after villagers of Kunda in Ponnampet taluk in Kodagu raised strong objections to the functioning of a concrete and asphalt mixing plant, alleging that it had turned what was once a peaceful and healthy village into a zone of toxic air, suffocating odour, dust clouds and relentless noise. Residents claimed that emissions and constant activity from the unit were causing serious environmental pollution and adversely affecting the health of people, particularly children and the elderly.
In response to the agitation, A.S. Ponnanna, Virajpet MLA visited and inspected the asphalt (bitumen) manufacturing unit at Kunda village. During his visit, he interacted with local residents, listened to their grievances and assured them that steps would be taken to find an early and effective solution to their problems.
Subsequently, a meeting was convened at the Virajpet Taluk Office on Monday(19 January 2026), where the MLA held discussions with officials from the concerned departments. Stressing that public health and environmental protection were paramount, he directed officials to ensure that the operations of the unit do not cause any harm to people or the surrounding environment.
As part of the decisions taken at the meeting, clear directions were issued to stop the operations of the asphalt mixing unit by May 31. The move was agreed upon by the local owners of the unit as well as members of the public who were present during the discussions.
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