People protest against proposed Yettinahole water project

“There is a need to take up pro-people movement, legal fight and political lobby to check the implementation of the proposed Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water project and conserve Western Ghats,” Malnad Janapara Horata Samithi President Kishore Kumar said.

Addressing the protesters who were staging “kodapana chaluvali”  organised by the members of Sahyadri Samrakshana Sanchaya, Rashtreeya Parisara Samrakshana Okkuta, and Parisara Sanghatanegalu, Sakleshpura against the Yettinahole project here in front of the DC’s office on Friday, he said “though the local court at Sakleshpura had asked to maintain partial status quo in connection with the work on Yettinahole, we are planning to appeal to the court to review its decision and then approach the Supreme Court against the implementation of the proposed project.”

Condemning the State government for going ahead with the project despite opposition from local farmers, he demanded the government drop project-related works immediately. “The implementation of the project will have its greatest impact on Dakshina Kannada district. The people in the district should protest against the project.

The MLAs from parched districts of Kolar and Chikkaballapura districts are demanding the implementation of Paramashivayya committee report on river Netravathi diversion.

If the river Netravathi is diverted then it will have its impact Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts that come under Western Ghats limits. Three writs have been filed in Green Tribunal questioning Yettinahole project.”

“The  place is also an ecologically sensitive region. If the water is diverted upstream, there will be a disaster,”  he feared. Sahyadri Samrakshana Sanchaya Convener Dinesh Holla said that according to a report by the geologists,  landslides have been reported where ever dams have been constructed across Sharavathi and Kaali rivers. Under Yettinahole scheme, barrages will be constructed at eight locations and feared that landslides will become order of the day if the project comes to a reality.”

“The project is proposed to divert river Netrathi by gravity constructing barrages against Netravathi basin and by constructing canals. Damaging the Shola forest and grassland will result in damage to the bio diversity of the Western Ghats,” he added.

Kateel Dinesh Pai said that the BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel who had opposed the project during the last parliamentary election has forgotten his promise. If he has real concern for the people of the district, then he should oppose Yettinahole project and raise the issue in the Parliament.

Shashidhar Shetty of Rashtreeya Parisara Samrakshana Okkuta said that as a part of the protest, Chande chaluvali and bhajan will be organised in front of the houses of those MLAs who refuse to support the cause of the people.