Unanimous Opposition to Proposed Netravati River Diversion Project

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Jun 19: Leaders from various quarters including politics, agriculture and fisheries have decided to join hands and rise in unison against the proposed Netravati River Diversion Project.

Members belonging to various occupations termed the project ‘unscientific’during a meeting here on Sunday June 19 to discuss the issue.

The meeting was led by former MLA Vijaykumar Shetty, JD(S) state secretary M G Hegde, NITK Suratkal professor S G Mayya, who is also an expert on the subject, Congress leader P V Mohan, agriculturist Sunder Rao among others.
 
S G Mayya said that after independence none of the governments introduced any project in the coastal region to make use of the water resource, and now, by going for ‘diversion’ the present government is planning to create water scarcity in the region. Elaborating further, he said that though in foreign countries rivers were diverted, they did it on the basis of ‘interbasis water transfer’ which is scientific. He ruled out terming the flow of rain water into Netravati river as ‘excess’ during rainy season.

"Paramashivaiah who studied the river diversion project and who later prepared a report did not include even a single person from Dakshina Kannada, where the river flows. There was no place for expert geologists and environmentalists which clearly shows that the project is biased," he lamented. He also feared that once the river water stops flowing westward, the fish in the sea may get adversely affected with the steep increase in salt component in the sea water. That may also make the river water saline, he added.
 
Agriculturist Sunder Rao said that people are being misguided by the claim that Ettinahala project was different from Netravathi diversion project. Taking note of the fact that river diversion had already been taken up in Ettinahala last year by investing Rs 200 crore, he said Ettinahala and Kumardhara rivers are nothing but tributaries of Netravati. He feared if this project comes up, the Western Ghats will be in jeopardy.
 
DK district Karnataka Rakshana Vedike president Annayya Kulal said that the fight should be taken up irrespective of political differences.
 
M G Hegde said that a blue print will be drafted in order to plan the future course of action to fight against the project.
 
Prof Rita Noronha opined that the geographical richness of the coastal region will be ruined by the project. She said that this project would not only cause problems in the coastal region but also the entire state.
 
P V Mohan said that awareness will be created by forming committees at the village level. Rohithaksha, district president of Raitha Sangha and Vasudeva Boluru, leader of fisheries community also assured their support to the fight.

At the meeting, it was decided to make a formal demand to the government to cancel the project considering the risks involved.