Students, citizens form huge human chain against Yetthinahole project

Anticipating the laying of foundation stone for the proposed Yetthinahole project that intends to divert the course of Yetthinahole, a tributary of River Netravathi, to provide water to parched regions of the State, various organisations joined together to oppose the project in the city on Friday.

Holding black flags and placards, they formed a human chain and silently protested against the proposed water diversion project. Over 300 members of various organisations, political parties and college students joined their hands to form a human chain around the Town Hall in the protest organised under the aegis of Sahyadri Samrakshana Sanchaya. Members of organisations including Karavali Chitrakala Chavadi, Malnad Youth Association, Karavali Yuva Sinchana, Netravathi Nadi Tiruvu Yojane Virodhi Horata Samiti, Chutuku Sahitya Parishat, Kuduremukh Wildlife Foundation, Aam Aadmi Party, Jamate Islam, Arivu Samvada Kendra, MSW Students of Roshni Nilaya, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Tulunada Rakshana Vedike participated in the protest.

Terming Yetthinahole project as a political conspiracy hatched by the government backing the developers, the protesters criticised Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas M Veerappa Moily for hurrying to lay foundation stone for the project in the wake of Parliament elections. 

“Politicians who got political break in the district, are cheating the people of their district by implementing a project that harms River Netravathi. People of coastal region would teach them a lesson in the coming elections. It is unfortunate that despite state and union ministers for forest environment hailing from Dakshina Kannada district, they have failed to preserve and protect River Netravathi from the onslaught,” the protester organisers stated in a press release. 

The protesters also warned of intensifying the protest in the days to come, by joining hands with various organisations and educational institutions, if the river diversion project is not dropped. “The formation of human chain is only a symbolic attempt to tell the political leaders that the protest will be intensified. We have decided to fight against the project by approaching the Court,” said Sahyadri Samrakshana Sanchaya Convenor Dinesh Holla. The protest was concluded by garlanding the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B R Ambedkar in Town Hall premises.