Objecting to the State government’s declaration that there was no opposition to the Yettinahole drinking water project, the Sahyadri Samrakshana Sanchaya has vowed to step up their protests against the river diversion project.
Dinesh Holla, convener of the group, blamed the “convenient” silence in the political sphere for the government believing there were no voices of protest against the project that would divert 24 tmcft of water from the upstream tributaries of the Nethravati.
“Before the Lok Sabha elections, all the candidates announced their opposition to the project. Now, neither D.V. Sadananda Gowda (Union Railways Minister) nor Nalin Kumar Kateel (MP) have raised their voice in Parliament. Ministers from the district too are silent about it,” he said.
Mr. Holla blamed the “disunited, uninterested” citizens of the district for the lack of a strong voice against the project. “People are under the impression that because the Nethravati has water even during the summer, it will not affect them. However, the scenario will be different if the project is executed and the monsoons are deficient,” said Mr. Holla, adding that it was “strange” that local religious leaders would take their concerns of Ganga to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but not the potential harm to Nethravati.
In an attempt to raise a stronger voice against the project, the sanchaya plans to conduct a protest on Independence Day. “We are yet to sort out the modalities. We do not want to disturb or interrupt the celebration of Independence Day of the district. But we do want to bring out our opposition to the district in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai,” he said.
Apart from protests, the group would continue to pressure villages in Sakleshpur – where the project would be implemented – to pass a resolution against the construction for the project. “So far village residents have succeeded in driving away surveyors. But, passing a resolution has been difficult as a few residents there are for the project,” Mr. Holla added.
