Protesters plant sapling on land leased for quarrying

'Mining at Navilugudda will only add to woes due to drought'

Villagers accompanied by environmentalists staged protest on Wednesday against the state government for permitting quarrying at Navilugudda near Shivapura village in Tarikere taluk in the district.

The agitators, who planted a sapling at the land identified for quarrying according to the lease deed signed between the Department of Mines and Geology and the miners, alleged that it would impact on the local conditions in a big way.

Prof B M Kumaraswamy, an environmentalist, described the decision of the government as unfortunate. When rain is turning scarce, quarrying will destroy the greenery, thus damaging the environment. The government should withdraw permission given for quarrying, he demanded.

Scientist Dr T V Ramachandra said, quarrying will bring down groundwater level. The forest cover, estimated at 54% covering North Canara, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts under the Western Ghats way back in the 1980s, has been reduced to 24%, he pointed out.
Gajendra Gorasukudige, district convener of the Save Western Ghats Campaign, said it is the duty of one and all to pass on the greenery to the next generation.

Villagers from Kadlur, Mundre, Pundanahalli, Koratikere and Shivapura took part in the protest along with environmentalists from various associations like Navilugudda and Durgadakote Parisara Samrakshana Samiti, Vruksharaksha Andolan and also the Raitha Sangha.