Drop river-linking projects, seer urges Karnataka govt

Sirsi (Uttara Kannada dist): Swarnavalli Mutt seer Gangadharendra Saraswathi Swami said on Monday that the union and state governments should drop the proposed Bedthi-Varada and Aghanashini-Vedavathi river-linking projects as they were a threat to the biodiversity of the Western Ghats. 

The seer, who is also the honorary president of the Bedthi-Aghanashini valley protection committee, told reporters here that a mega public convention would be held on January 11, to oppose the projects. 

The convention, to be organised at the MES college grounds in the town at 2 pm, is expected to see an attendance of over 20,000 people.  “The governments are planning to prepare an extended project report on the pretext of drinking water and irrigation schemes. But it involves the construction of three mega reservoirs and huge tunnels. The projects endanger thick forests and are a threat to the ecology,” he said. The pontiff said it would become inevitable for people of Uttara Kannada district to launch an agitation if the governments go ahead with the projects.