<p>Hundreds of environmentalists, conservationists and citizens from Malnad districts staged a demonstration on Saturday, demanding the scrapping of projects that have jeopardised the biodiversity of the fragile Western Ghats. </p>.<p>Joining under the banner of United Conservation Movement (UCM), volunteers from 32 organizations demanded that projects like the expansion of the Kaiga atomic plant, Sharavathy Valley pumped storage project, transmission lines to Goa be scrapped to protect the fragile ecosystem.</p>.<p>Activists say several projects planned by state and central govenrments along the Western Ghats have risked 20 to 50 lakh trees. “The three specific projects that all of us are vehemently opposing would destroy at least 3.7 lakh trees and divert 376 hectares of forests,” said an activist from Shivamogga.</p>.<p>Joseph Hoover, Convenor of the UCM, said that the government must pursue sustainable alternatives to these projects and not to disturb the forests.</p>
<p>Hundreds of environmentalists, conservationists and citizens from Malnad districts staged a demonstration on Saturday, demanding the scrapping of projects that have jeopardised the biodiversity of the fragile Western Ghats. </p>.<p>Joining under the banner of United Conservation Movement (UCM), volunteers from 32 organizations demanded that projects like the expansion of the Kaiga atomic plant, Sharavathy Valley pumped storage project, transmission lines to Goa be scrapped to protect the fragile ecosystem.</p>.<p>Activists say several projects planned by state and central govenrments along the Western Ghats have risked 20 to 50 lakh trees. “The three specific projects that all of us are vehemently opposing would destroy at least 3.7 lakh trees and divert 376 hectares of forests,” said an activist from Shivamogga.</p>.<p>Joseph Hoover, Convenor of the UCM, said that the government must pursue sustainable alternatives to these projects and not to disturb the forests.</p>
