Yettinahole: expo unfolds damage at Western Ghats

The recent green signal for the Yettinahole project by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has triggered panic and widespread dissent among the people living in the coastal and Malnad regions.

Already reeling under severe shortage of water with Dakshina Kannada district’s lifeline Nethravathi river turning bone dry, the people have raised questions over the feasibility of the ongoing Yettinahole project and its impact on the ecosystem in the coastal region.

Amid arguments that large-scale destruction of forests as part of the Yettinahole project led to drying up of Nethravathi, an exhibition of photographs by lensman Sudheer Shetty at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat in the city has unfolded the extent of damage done to the Western Ghats and rivulets that join River Nethravathi.

The photographs taken in the last decade across the project site of Yettinahole have not only revealed the large-scale clearing of trees but also degradation of the catchment area leading to regular landslides and frequent soil erosion.

The blasting in the fragile biodiversity-rich Western Ghats has also jeopardised the lives of unique flora and fauna. Also, several photographs have juxtaposed the flow of crystal clear water and water polluted with the cement and sewage in recent times and subsequently joining the Nethravathi.

Environmentalist Dr A N Yellappa Reddy and freedom fighter H S Doreswamy inaugurated the exhibition. On the occasion, Yellappa Reddy said, “The Rs 13,000-crore project is not only unscientific but impractical which will only cause destruction to the biodiversity.”

Social activist S R Hiremath said, “The diversion of River Nethravathi is not the solution for drought in the parched districts of Kolar and Chikkaballapur. In fact, both the districts are known for ancient water harvesting structures and plenty of lakes. Instead of spending on projects like Yettinahole, they must focus on the rejuvenation of these water bodies and lakes.”

Sudheer Shetty, who has extensively travelled in the region, said, “The government defends that it will only divert the excess water. But what our leaders and officials don’t understand is that if the fresh water does not let into the sea, the salinity will increase affecting the temperature and humidity along the coast. Also, the addition of fresh water into the sea helps in the propagation of marine ecosystem on which the fishing community is dependent.”