Celeb Coorgs add their might behind battle for Kodagu
Protest against the felling of trees in region for power lines to light up Kerala
Until early 2014,Nikki Ponnappa , a champion professional golfer in Bengaluru, had little knowledge about a fierce battle being fought by her community back in her home town in Kodagu. It was only when her uncle Jerry Muthanna , an activist, was put behind bars that she took notice of the protest.
Muthanna, along with many other natives, were protesting against the high tension nuclear power transmission line from Kaiga to Kozhikode which will pass through dense forests of Brahmagiri and Pushpagiri wildlife sanctuaries resulting in the axing of over 55,000 trees along the 55 km stretch. And shockingly those who agitate are being given a notice by the government authorities.
On Friday, Ponnappa and other celebrity Kodagu-born Bengalurians put their might behind the fight of saving the ecosystem of their motherland. “Our lands have been left behind by our ancestors so that we can preserve it and take care of it. We cannot let it be destroyed,” echoed Air Marshal Nanda Cariappa.
“There have been two deaths in a span of 10 days because of elephant trampling and we fear this is only the beginning. The power grid is in the elephant corridor. Today, elephants are feeding on coffee plants in Kodagu. This was unheard of,” expressed 35-year-old Ponnappa. “Section 144 bans anyone other than officials from entering into the 55-km project site,” adds activist Sajjan Aiyappa.
“We have a commitment to leave future generations an unspoilt and beautiful world- and we are determined to do everything in our power to ensure this is achieved, by strongly opposing this ridiculous plan,” celebrity fashion designer Prasad Bidapa said. “I will also bring this up with the BPAC (Bangalore Political Action Committee, formed byKiran Mazumdar Shaw ) so they also help us in this fight,” Bidapa added.
Though activists have been fighting against the power lines drawn through Kodagu for a little over eight years, since the idea was first initiated in 2006, Coorgs living in Bengaluru were not involved as there was no clarity on the route on which the power lines would be laid.
Now that they have stepped in, the fight has received an added boost. The battle fought by the natives back home lacked the intervention of social media, believes Nikki Ponnappa. Spearheaded by her, the Save Western Ghats campaign has now been endorsed by celeb sports personalities Prakash Padukone, Anil Kumble, Rohan Bopanna, Robin Uthappa, Reeth Abraham, Ashwini Ponnappa, Ashwini Nachappa, Joshna Chinnappa, Trishul Chinappa. There is also a website where people can pledge their support. “Can governments shut their minds, eyes and ears to a disaster that will definitely happen? The government must spell out the benefits and real cost for the proposed Powergrid project. All this is happening at the cost of losing the biodiversity of the Western Ghats and the water availability of river Kaveri, they need to explain this to the people of Coorg,” former athlete Ashwini Nachappa, also a BPAC member expressed.
There is also aWhatsapp group constantly abuzz with updates on the several attempts to meet the top bureaucrats in the state. This group includes Kumble, Padukone and his daughter Anisha apart from Bidappa, popular video jockey Nikhil Chinappa, among others.
“At a time when we are hearing more about man-animal conflict, where people are being killed by tigers and elephants, it is really astonishing to hear that the authorities concerned do not care about felling more than 50,000 trees,” says Ashwini Ponnappa, international shuttler.
Another grouse that the people of Kodagu have is the evasive attitude of home minister KJ George and MP Pratap Simha who has won from Kodagu.
Relates story: Expert panel gives go-ahead for power line; 50,000 trees in Kodagu forests will go
Related story: Axe on 50K trees to light up Kerala
Until early 2014,
Muthanna, along with many other natives, were protesting against the high tension nuclear power transmission line from Kaiga to Kozhikode which will pass through dense forests of Brahmagiri and Pushpagiri wildlife sanctuaries resulting in the axing of over 55,000 trees along the 55 km stretch. And shockingly those who agitate are being given a notice by the government authorities.
On Friday, Ponnappa and other celebrity Kodagu-born Bengalurians put their might behind the fight of saving the ecosystem of their motherland. “Our lands have been left behind by our ancestors so that we can preserve it and take care of it. We cannot let it be destroyed,” echoed Air Marshal Nanda Cariappa.
“There have been two deaths in a span of 10 days because of elephant trampling and we fear this is only the beginning. The power grid is in the elephant corridor. Today, elephants are feeding on coffee plants in Kodagu. This was unheard of,” expressed 35-year-old Ponnappa. “Section 144 bans anyone other than officials from entering into the 55-km project site,” adds activist Sajjan Aiyappa.
“We have a commitment to leave future generations an unspoilt and beautiful world- and we are determined to do everything in our power to ensure this is achieved, by strongly opposing this ridiculous plan,” celebrity fashion designer Prasad Bidapa said. “I will also bring this up with the BPAC (Bangalore Political Action Committee, formed by
Though activists have been fighting against the power lines drawn through Kodagu for a little over eight years, since the idea was first initiated in 2006, Coorgs living in Bengaluru were not involved as there was no clarity on the route on which the power lines would be laid.
Now that they have stepped in, the fight has received an added boost. The battle fought by the natives back home lacked the intervention of social media, believes Nikki Ponnappa. Spearheaded by her, the Save Western Ghats campaign has now been endorsed by celeb sports personalities Prakash Padukone, Anil Kumble, Rohan Bopanna, Robin Uthappa, Reeth Abraham, Ashwini Ponnappa, Ashwini Nachappa, Joshna Chinnappa, Trishul Chinappa. There is also a website where people can pledge their support. “Can governments shut their minds, eyes and ears to a disaster that will definitely happen? The government must spell out the benefits and real cost for the proposed Powergrid project. All this is happening at the cost of losing the biodiversity of the Western Ghats and the water availability of river Kaveri, they need to explain this to the people of Coorg,” former athlete Ashwini Nachappa, also a BPAC member expressed.
There is also a
“At a time when we are hearing more about man-animal conflict, where people are being killed by tigers and elephants, it is really astonishing to hear that the authorities concerned do not care about felling more than 50,000 trees,” says Ashwini Ponnappa, international shuttler.
Another grouse that the people of Kodagu have is the evasive attitude of home minister KJ George and MP Pratap Simha who has won from Kodagu.
Relates story: Expert panel gives go-ahead for power line; 50,000 trees in Kodagu forests will go
Related story: Axe on 50K trees to light up Kerala
