Consider deforestation, illegal mining seriously, says writer Nagesh Kaluru

Writer Nagesh Kaluru, president of the 14th Kodagu Jilla Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, said that it was the right time for a wake-up call against the illegal resort construction, sand and stone mining in Kodagu.

Delivering the presidential speech during the inaugural programme held at Field Marshal Cariappa Vedike in Nidtha, Shanivarasanthe, on Friday, he said that there is a need to create awareness on drilling borewells, deforestation and other activities, which have been causing harm to nature.

Lamenting that agriculture is being lost in Kodagu, Kaluru said that several acres of agricultural land are barren due to the scarcity of labourers. He also expressed a need to educate schoolchildren on the negative effects of urbanisation.

He further said, “We have been mounting a lot of pressure on the environment. Trees are being axed to run high tension power lines, lay roads and build resorts. A huge area of green cover is being lost. This has further been resulting in the increase of human-wild animal conflict. The groundwater table is declining. All this has been giving rise to disasters such as landslides.”

Natives of Kodagu have been selling their land to the people of other states, he pointed out and called such development shocking.

Decked up

The residents of Nidtha decorated their houses and streets for the occasion of the Jilla Kannada Sahitya Sammelana. Women drew rangolis in front of the houses. People, barring age differences, gathered at the venue of the literary convention in large numbers.

A cultural procession was taken out prior to the formal programme. Kirikodli mutt pontiff Sadashiva Swami inaugurated the literary convention. Kodagu Zilla Panchayat Vice President Lokeshwari Gopal; Kuvempu Kannada Study Centre, Manasagangothri, Mysuru, Director Prof Neelagiri Talavar; Kannada Sahitya Parishat District President Lokesh Sagar; and Karnataka Arebhashe Sahitya Academy Chairman Lakshminarayana Kajegadde were present.