Gangadharendra Saraswathi Swamiji, seer of Sonda Swarnawalli Math, has opposed the plan by the State government to divert west-flowing rivers to provide drinking water to Bangalore city, and to provide irrigation facilities in Tumkur and Kolar districts.
He was speaking after inaugurating a workshop on conservation of Devarakadu, the sacred groves in Bheemanakone village in Sagar taluk, on Wednesday.
The seer said the government had planned to divert the waters of the Sharavati, Aghanashini, Netravati, Kali, Bedti and other west-flowing rivers and use it to irrigate parched regions of central and south Karnataka.
He said this would result in serious ecological imbalance in Malnad region where these rivers originated and flowed. The elected representatives of central and south Karnataka regions were putting pressure on the government to take up river-diversion projects, the seer alleged and added that it was necessary to organise a mass movement in Malnad region against such unscientific projects.
The seer claimed that thousands of hectares of pristine forestland in Malnad region had been destroyed by constructing large reservoirs and in the name of mining.
According to him, if the government took up any new projects that will harm the biodiversity of Malnad region, it will become inevitable for the people of Shimoga, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Chikmagalur and Hassan districts to demand the formation of a separate Malnad State.
The programme was organised by Vrukshalaksha Andolana and Village Forest Committee of Bheemanakone.
Ecologist and ex-chairperson of Western Ghats Task Force Anant Hegde Ashisar and president of Sagar Taluk Panchayat Harish Ghante were present.
